The Rise of the Hestia Familia
by arthurzz
Summary: This is a story where Rimuru and his friends joins The Hestia Famalia alongside Bell. Little did he know that his trip away for fun will bring a whole lot of mess with it and he is not alone he got a certain Dragonoid by his side.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Arrival**

**Hello there!This is my first fanfiction, I read the web novel of 'That Time I got Reincarnated as a slime' and was thinking what if rimuru with his new ability to travel between worlds ends up in the Danmachi world with his subordinates and a certain dragonoid to have some fun. What if he and his subordinates join the Hestia familia same time as Bell? Will Hestia still be poor or rimuru with his op subordinates change their lives. I hope you like it.**

**NOTE: Only read after you have read the web novel of slime.**

Chapter 1: The Arrival

**Rimuru POV**

It was boring, really boring. Even though he had created a system where he doesn't have to take all the decisions, it was still days filled with lots of work. It had been 15 years since the Great War and the world was once again stable. He needed a break and a long one at that.

He had made his decision and there was no one who could stop him._ Except for some people_ he thought as shuna's scary face came to his mind whenever he skipped work. He was ready to take action but as soon as he got off his chair, the door busted open and came a certain someone who he really didn't want to see at the moment. She had pink hair which were tied in two long pony tails and she wore a white dress, anyone who saw her face would think that she was a kid but rimuru didn't

"Rimuru, I came to play."

Came an energetic voice from that girl. Rimuru knew better to mistake her as just some kid. She was a walking disaster and only one of her kind, she was The Dragonoid and the member of Eight Star Demon Lords, she was Milim Nava.

And as if that was not enough behind her came two more individuals. He knew who they were because they were his best friends and his companions. They were Veldora and Ramris. Even if they were his friends he didn't want to see them now of all times because they brought nothing but trouble.

"Mi—Milim why are you here." He said.

"Didn't you hear I said I came to play." She said with a cheerful smile.

_I heard that but why now of all times _he thought to himself _No! wait this can be the chance _he thought correcting his thoughts, if they all were together they could convince shuna to at least give him a day off but before he could say 'yes' another voice interrupted him.

"Rimuru, you won't believe it I just found another world." said Ramiris with a cheerful voice.

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what he just heard. His one way ticket out of boredom and lots of work. Normally he would take a careful approach while visiting other worlds but now was different.

"Ramiris, tell me fast. What is this world like?" he asked with voice filled with excitement.

Except Ramiris, Veldora took the initiative to tell him all about what they have learned.

_JACKPOT!_ Was the thought he had in his mind. Not only did the world has a dungeon like structure like the labyrinth they had here but their were also gods and goddesses in that world who gave humans their blessing so they could fight in the dungeon. He could also say that he is working in that world which was a good excuse. He couldn't stop thinking about it as a game which he used to play in his previous world. True he had a dungeon here but he himself was the one who set all the traps and he knew everything about it. But now he could go in a dungeon which he had no knowledge of.

At that time he made one thing clear in his mind, that one thing if he were to say in that world he would be considered a maniac, he decided that he would CLEAR THE DUNGEON!

"Rimuru you seem to like the world." Said Veldora in a deep tone as if he knew what was going on in rimuru's mind. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that he was smiling.

"Yes I am. Tell me Veldora, Ramiris, Milim do you want to clear a certain dungeon." He said in a excited voice. Normally he would stop them from creating problem but now was different.

Even people as dumb as Milim understood the meaning of the words. If someone passed through the room they would be able to hear giggling coming from the doors and it was in no way playful it was demonic.

They didn't know there were 4 demons standing outside the door listening to everything inside the room. Listening to the contents they too can't stop smiling. _The boredom would finally be over_ was also the thought going through their minds.

Inside rimuru there was also an existence who was excited as the amount of data she would collect while in the different world.

**10 DAYS LATER…**

**Bell POV**

In his life he only had a family in form of his grandfather who died recently. Because his grandfather used to tell him stories of heroes, he also wanted to become a hero that was why he came here to the city of Orario where the world's only dungeon exists.

Days he searched a famalia but no one wanted to accept him because of his weak appearance. Just as he had lost all hope he heard a voice.

"Hey are you searching for a famalia."

He turned back to see a girl with a youthful appearance. She has blue eyes and mid-thigh length black hair tied into two twin pony tails. She had rather big breasts for a small looking girl.

"If you want you can join mine." she said.

Bell was overjoyed. He couldn't believe that this was happening after he had lost all hope.

"Yes I would be happy to join." He said as he was about to cry out of joy.

"Then let's go I will give you my blessing. By the way my name is Hestia." She said happily.

"I am Bell Cranell. Nice to meet you Goddess Hestia." He said with a smile.

As they were about to go another voice interrupted them.

"Excuse me. Can I join your famalia too" they heard a feminine voice. As they looked behind they saw a person standing with a mask on her face. She looked about 16 years old and had long silvery-blue hair going till her waist.

"Wh-What?" Hestia asked totally shocked.

"I said I would also like to join your famalia. Can I? she asked again.

This time Hestia was overjoyed and she couldn't help but start crying.

"Wh-Why are you crying? If you don't want it I will not join." She said worriedly.

"NO! I-I wa-was just crying out of joy. Days ago nobody wanted to join my famalia and now-now…" again tears started to flow from her eyes.

"Is that so than I guess you are in for another surprise" she said. Nobody could see her face because of the mask but bell could guess she was smiling.

"Well I will tell you once we start walking" she again said with a playful tone.

"ye-yes!" Hestia said as she wiped the tears off her face.

"By the way I am Rimuru. Rimuru Tempest."

**2 HOURS EARLIER**

For last 10 days Rimuru and his friends were gathering information on the new world. They were also living in a inn. They found about how the gods descended onto the lower world for having fun as they were bored in heaven. Rimuru couldn't help but compare them to him as he was also doing it for fun. Rimuru and sent his most human looking subordinates to the Guild for info about the dungeon and how they could enter the dungeon.

As his subordinate had said they will first need to join a famalia and after they got the blessing they could register into the guild and go into the dungeon. Rimuru could also notice that a high level adventurer in this world is considered to be level 5 or 6 and only 2 in this world are level 7. His subordinate has also told him that they were not really a threat as the level 6 adventurer is nearly as strong as a Arc demon.

He was also forced to bring along some more people as Diablo heard the conversation and asked rimuru to accompany him with his subordinates. Diablo wanted to bring the entire Black Corps along for my safety but I cut short the number to just the upper echelons. And to my surprise Chloe also convinced me to let her come along. I considered the dungeon to be as strong as our labyrinth so I too thought she would be a good asset to the team.

So our current team is me, Milim, Veldora, Ramiris, Chloe, Diablo, Testa, Ultima, Carrera and several of their Subordinates. We don't know how long we are going to stay so Souei will tell us if any trouble falls on Tempest.

Next problem is Veldora and Ramris. In this world dragons are considered as monsters and are evil so I strictly informed Veldora that no matter what he can't convert to his dragon form. And next is Ramris, as fairy race doesn't exist in this world, it would cause a big commotion if she popped out of nowhere and so I transferred some of my energy to her to let her take her original form(bigger version) and hiding her wings were done by special made clothes.

And now the biggest problem is finding a famalia. We would rather join a small famalia so it could take all our members. As I was thinking about that one of Diablo's subordinate which was sent for info came and brought a list of small famalias which he acquired from the guild. As I went through it I came to a certain name of a goddess who didn't have a single member and guild also said that she was looking for a famalia.

So without any other word I went searching for her leaving everyone in the inn.

**I hope you like it!  
**

**SEE YOU!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Joining a Familia**

**Hey there again! Now I have got too much free time on my hands this month so the chapters are gonna keep coming. I am sorry in advance for any grammatical or spelling mistakes. The sequence of the arcs are goona be the same but there will be a difference in the arcs as new characters are added(rimuru and others) and not to mention that Hestia familia is going to be op, I hope you already know the reason. Bell is gonna follow his journey from weak to strong but at a much faster rate and the original Danmachi characters are also gonna be there.**

Chapter 2: Joining a Familia

Hestia led us to a rundown church. I was most probably guessing this is where she lives. _We will first need to buy a decent house for all of us to stay _I thought. I guess I was lucky to send the demons under Diablo back to our world and only let the upper echelon stay, there were several reasons first was that I thought it would be overkill and second was that we had no money to rent an inn for that many people. The little money we had of this world was from shady sources. _And this would be the third reason._

I can't really believe that this was Hestia. It's not like I didn't read the mythology when I was on Earth. She really looks like a little girl to me but I don't let appearances deceive me because I know Milim. I guess they both will get along well.

"Hey! Remember I said I had a surprise for you?" I said as she walked humming. It looks like she is really happy.

"Ah yes What was that Rimu-chan?"

And yeah it was this, what's with being so friendly with the person you just met and wait is she thinking I am a girl, I know I look like one but it still fells odd.

"Yeah. You see I didn't came alone, there are some of my friends too who came with me to join a famalia." I said.

"Wh-Wh-What? Is it true, Is it really true" she said with again tears flowing from her eyes. I guess she was really desperate to form a famalia.

"Rimuru-san, really we are going to have more members?" said the boy with the white hair. What was his name again? Bell right.

"Ye-yes they are my close friends, we all came from the west of here" I said. Of course I was lying and what was that I felt some resistance when I was gonna lie.

(In this world you could not lie to a god but master has no problem with it.)

Oh! I see Ciel is always a big help in these matters.

"Then Rimu-chan where are your friends, call them then we will start with the falna" she said excited.

"Yeah. They are in the inn I will call them. You both wait here."

And I ran off to call every one. She said we were gonna receive a falna or something. I guess that's what is a god's blessing. I just hope that our power suppression works while she sees our statuses.

After I reached the inn I called for everyone. I was so glad nobody caused any trouble.

Just for convenience's sake I had them all move their consciousness to human bodies as to not reveal their race during the blessing. But as soon as we break a certain point in using our powers our real bodies will return.

As we reached the abandoned church we saw Hestia and Bell were staring at us with their eyes wide in shock. I think they didn't expect my friends to be this many. I mean we were 15 people.

"RI-RI-Rimu-chan is this all your friends." Hestia asked shocked.

"Yes. And I am his bestie." said Milim proudly.

As we entered the church I heard Diablo say 'rimuru-sama will stay in this place' with a very angry voice. Well I guess we need to buy a place as this many people cannot really stay in such a small place.

"Okay so lie down one by one so I can give you my blessing" Hestia said with a rather cheerful tone.

"I guess I will go first" I said as nobody was taking the initiative.

"Okay all boys out of the room" Hestia said giving orders like a true head of the famalia.

Well I guess she really thinks I am a girl and I decided to not retaliate as it would draw suspicion. Without a word every male went out of the room.

I took off my clothing and lied down as she said, then she started writing something on my back and pricked her finger and as soon as the blood fell on me my back started to glow and I felt that she placed a paper on my back and she was staring at the paper with wide eyes as it were gonna pop out any second.

"RI-Rimu-chan what is this?" she asked shocked. She was really shaking.

After I turned around to look at the paper

**Name- Rimuru Tempest**

**Affiliation- Hestia Familia**

**Race- Human**

**Level-6**

**Strength- SSS1750**

**Endurance-SSS1620**

**Dexterity-SS1098**

**Agility-SSS1285**

**Magic-SS1210**

**Black Lightning**

**Black Flame**

**Nuclear Strike Magic**

**Luck- B**

**Abnormal resistance- SS**

**Skills- Universal Perception**

**Clairvoyance**

Level 6 huh, well there are many level 6 in Orario so this is okay. I am so glad Ciel hid the most dangerous abilities and also me taking a human body worked.

"Rimu-chan how are you level 6 when you are just a starter" she asked shocked.

"Who told you I am a starter, I and my friends had a god when we were living in the west and he trained us and we used to also kill monsters there" I had to lie to make her believe.

"B-But then too, there are not many adventurers outside of Orario with level more than 2" she said retaliating.

"Is that my problem?" I asked completely oblivious.

"No but I just didn't expect my first follower to be a level 6"

"Well but now you do. And I am sure you have more surprises ahead" I said while dressing back up.

"Oh rimuru is level 6 then I guess I will be too" Milim said as she got ready to lie down.

Hestia recovered from her shock started the same procedure with milim and when it was over she fainted.

"Hestia what happened" I said while checking on her. My eyes went on to the paper in her hands and when I saw it I too was shocked

**Name- Milim Nava**

**Affiliation- Hestia Familia**

**Race- Dragonoid**

**Level- 7**

**Strength-SSS1400**

**Endurance- SSS1567**

**Dexterity- SSS1280**

**Agility- SSS1478**

**Magic- SSS1990**

**Dragon Nova**

**Skills- Dragon Eye**

And this is her suppression of power. Does she even realize that there is only one level 7 in this city. No wonder Hestia fainted.

"Hey Milim what is meant by suppression" I asked her as a mother asking a child.

"Hey I suppressed as much power as I can, it's not my problem if it isn't enough. I can't suppress more" she replied getting irritated.

_This is such a horrible blunder _as I was thinking that Hestia wake up and immediately grabbed the paper from my hand.

"Care to explain this Rimu-chan" she said angrily.

Wait! Why are you getting angry, aren't you happy that you got a strong member. I thought

"W-Well she was level 6 days ago I didn't knew she leveled up" I said diverting my eyes.

"Hey Rimu-chan tell me if you are all so strong why did you want to join me who has no familia"

_Oh shit she is getting suspicious. _

"Well I know any familia will accept us but I have seen that many familias in this city just try to take advantage of your power and I thought it would be good to join a familia who knows the meaning of a family and you are the goddess of family so who would be better than you" I said with a straight face. I can't believe I came up with that just now.

(It was cool.)

Wow. Ceil says it's ok so I think it is good.

"Really" she said while tears coming from her eyes. _Wait. It worked, I am becoming good at this._

"Yeah, really" I said.

"But is this really happening a level 7 in my familia. I must watch that Freya's movements now or she will try to steal her" she said with determination.

"Hey why am I being left out of this" Milim said angrily.

"Oh no you are not being left out. You are going to be the talk of the town in few days. You are the best" Hestia said while hugging her tightly.

Oh yes! They really are the same in looks and in personality, in other words simple. I thought

"And yeah! Rimu-chan, what is a dragonoid?" Hestia asked.

_Crap. She didn't even change her race._

"W-Well it's really a nearly extinct race. They look like a regular human but are not. When they seriously fight then their real features are reveled" I said while not knowing what I was saying.

"R-Really. This must be the best day of my life not even I got a familia, I even got a level 7 and a nearly extinct race at that" she said while drooling.

_Wait why is she drooling._

"Now I got a more stronger member than that Loki's sword princess. I can't wait to see her again, that look on her face hahaha" she said while laughing and hugging Milim more tightly.

_She seems to be in her own world_ I thought and I was kind of happy for her.

After about 2 hours of continuous fainting, the blessing was over. The result was as follows-

Diablo-Level 6

Testa- Level 6

Ultima- Level 6

Carrera- Level 6

Chloe- Level 6

Veldora- Level 6(human form)

Ramiris- Level 6(adult form)

And everyone else were level 4 or 5. Giving a human body to everyone meant everyone's race wasn't revealed. And they all successfully suppressed their power unlike Milim.

There was also Bell who was a starter so he was Level 1. He was looking really down because he was the lowest.

"Hey Bell, Do you wanna get stronger?" I asked

"W-Well yeah I want to get stronger and become a hero like I heard in stories" he said with determination.

(The analysis shows that the individual Bell Cranell has the potential to become a hero)

Ciel analyzed him huh, If she says it he must be special and all I can do is train him. It just fells like I am a teacher again.

"You see you must train before going to the dungeon. I will appoint you an instructor so you can improve your swordsmanship and never go in the dungeon alone. Always take someone with you." I said.

"T-Thank you so much rimu-Captain"

_w-w-what? C-C-Captain! Wait me _I was going to deny it but it was too late.

"So then from today on Rimu-chan will be our captain" said Hestia with excitement.

(Congratulations Captain)

Ciel too! I guess it is too late too say 'no' now. So now here comes the next challenge. To find a new home.

"Okay then as your new captain, It is my first order to make more money in the dungeon to buy a new house" I said

"Yes" Everybody said in unison.

**Finally over! I hope you like it. From next chapter the real fun begins**

**Ch 3- The Dungeon**

**SEE YOU! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- The Dungeon**

**Hey there again! Here is the third chapter for this story. I have a question should I let rimuru pretend he is a girl or let him reveal that he is a boy (only on the outwards, he will always be a man inside) as he resembles a girl and can't always wear the mask. **

Chapter 3- THE DUNGEON

After I made my speech, everybody went to sleep as it was already night time.

**Next morning**

The first line of business was to register in the Guild. As we were about to go

"Hey Rimu-chan I was meaning to ask you. Why don't you take off the mask?" Hestia said curiously.

_Well I guess there won't be any trouble if I took it off _I thought. I took my mask off for everybody to see my face.

"Hey Rimu-chan no fair!" Hestia said angrily.

"What do you mean?" I asked not knowing what I did.

"No fair! Why are more beautiful than me?" she said angrily.

And what was that, when I saw Bell he was blushing badly. I never thought that timid little kid was a pervert._ I am not a girl _I wanted to shout out loud but I had a feeling that they would not listen to me.

Ramris, Milim, Veldora and Chloe were laughing out loud and Diablo was…angry! _Wait angry. _He looked like he was going to attack her at any moment. It was a hard enough job for me to convince him to get another god's blessing other than mine. I had to do something.

"Well I can't help it now can I?" I said

"Well yeah! Then do me a favor and don't wear that mask when you are at home, you look cute without it." She said embarrassingly.

_Wait is she into girls, no right? I am probably thinking too much _I thought after seeing her red face.

Meanwhile in Hestia's mind

_I not even got a level 7 but also a really beautiful captain, that loki is gonna be so jealous _Hestia thought inside her mind. She didn't even realize she was hugging rimuru tightly.

"Hey Rimu-chan if you want I can look for a house while you all go in the dungeon" Hestia said.

"OH! Can you really do that it would be a big help if you could" I asked with curiosity.

"Well you are doing so much for our famalia, at least I could do is find a home. And I can ask my friend Hephaestus for help, I know she will not mind this much" Hestia said.

"I will leave it to you then" I said while go got ready to go.

"Yes! Leave it to me I will not disappoint you" she said as we exited the church.

After all the façade with Hestia we went out to register to the Guild and what followed was true hell.

I knew somewhere deep inside my heart this was going to happen. Here level 6 are considered to be first class adventurers and some level 6 coming out of nowhere from some different land caused great concern to them as there are not many adventurers outside Orario who are this strong.

As Orario has the world's only dungeon it often becomes the centre for invasions from other countries out of greed for magic stones but as here adventurers here are too strong the invasion never succeeds.

As a king of a country myself I understand their concern and was answering them with the best of my ability. But as soon as the topic of a new level 7 came to light the room became silent at first and that was when our status of adventurers coming for registration was changed to criminal which was meant to be interrogated.

Who was your previous god? Where you came from? Which type of monster did you kill? How much time you needed to level up? Are there more like you out there? Were thrown at us one after the other.

_Milim was such a trouble maker _was the thought going in my mind.

After the registration or I should say interrogation was over we again went to the front desk.

We didn't know at that moment that we had jut lit a spark which was going to spread in Orario like a wildfire.

_**Hestia familia**_ is going to be the hot topic in the city for coming days.

After exiting the guild we decided to head to the dungeon, the guild offered to lend us a advisor for the dungeon but we denied, we thought as bell is a starter he would need a advisor rather than us. After that we decided only 6 members will go to the Dungeon and others will go back to the church.

The six members were me, Milim, Veldora, Ramiris, Diablo, Chloe. Just not to draw more attention we are going to go till mostly 35 floor. I know it is a really deep for a team who is going for the first time but we have an excuse of having a level 7 and not to mention we all we all too are level 6. Our goal is to at least take the amount of magic stones that will be able to buy us a new home.

**After 2 hours…**

_I was always wondering from the moment we came to this world, why were all the trouble making people such as Veldora, Ramris, Diablo were behaving nice when coming here. But now I know! Why didn't I didn't see that coming?! It was the silence before the storm._

This is what happens when you tie up battle hungry beasts for 15 years. I mean WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!

We were currently on the 37 floor and there are god knows how many magic stones are scattered before my eyes.

(245 in total)

_I didn't want that _I retorted to Ciel. But back to the topic at hand, it took us mostly 2 hours to reach this far. The first 10 floors were a total failure, the monsters were so weak that they were wiped out by one hits. On the 17 floor we came across a Monster Rex Goliath, it looked strong, really strong or so I thought by looking at it before Veldora wiped it out with little effort. We were surprised to see a town on the 18 floor, we heard about it from people but seeing it ourselves was a whole new thing. It paled in comparison to our town inside our labyrinth but nonetheless it was good.

Just for sake I bought a journal explaining every monster till floor 40 and they were sufficient with magic stones as payment rather than money.

From Floor 20 is where the real mess began, Veldora, Milim and Diablo wholeheartedly went on a rampage. I know I gave the order to collect more magic stones so we could buy a new house but at least make it look like it is a fight. To my surprise Ramiris was behaving pretty good, I guess when she transforms into her adult form she also becomes quite mature.

And after a hour of fighting or I should say trampling we are here on the 37 Floor and this is where I am getting to see at least some fight. From the journal it says that we are fighting the 37 floor boss.

It's name is said to be Udaeus. It is most probably level 5 or 6. It has a black body, it seems to have no lower body and it can spread its attacks through the ground and it is also summoning Spartoi another monster on level 4.

"Veldora-sama I think now it is finally looking a fight." Diablo said excitedly.

"Kuhahaha yeah! Now I will show you the power of the Storm Dragon" Veldora said while laughing.

"Hey guys! Do you need some help with those Spartoi" I asked exactly knowing what the answer would be.

"Rimuru do you really think we are this weak that we can't even handle these weaklings" Veldora said.

"Yes Rimuru-sama you don't need to dirty your hands with fighting these weaklings" Diablo said.

"Rimuru you know we are not that weak to need your help" Milim said while finishing off a Spartoi.

And there they go! I knew this was going to be like this. As I was going to back away I saw some Worm well, Barbarians and Lizard men Elite spawning some distance away.

"Okay then I will leave the floor boss to you three. I, Chloe and Ramiris will go wipe out those new monsters" I said while walking away.

"""PLEASE DO""" I heard them reply in unison.

As I walked away I pretended to not see those evil smiles on their faces.

Now that I think about it I have not tested my magic after coming here so I decided to go with magic rather than hand to hand.

I sent Chloe and Ramiris to fight Barbarians and Lizard men Elite respectively. And I was left with the monster known as worm well. In the journal it is said to have wiped out parties before. It is like a snake monster probably 5 meters tall with blue skin and three sets of amber eyes. They are estimated to be level 4 so this should be a good fight.

As I decided to fight with magic I will not go too close to them. From a distance I used Black flame on it and to my surprise it dodged it pretty easily.

(The holes on top of its mouth are able to detect heat, so attack emitting heat will not work from long range)

Oh! Ciel is really fast in her work. But it is going to be a problem if it doesn't work so I decided to get closer.

Even if it is a level 4 I am faster than it so in a flash I was before his mouth in air. It looked surprised when I suddenly appeared before him but it opened its mouth wide and was trying to swallow me alive. I hurriedly steeped on its head and with that as a support launched myself in the air and from above I finally used Black flame on it.

Screams of anguish came from it and it slowly turned into black dust and faded away and what was left was a shining magic stone.

As I finished my fight I looked in the direction of Chloe and Ramiris to find out that they too were finishing their fights. As expected of the true hero and the spirit queen I thought.

And with that I decided to return to where Veldora was fighting the boss monster.

**Meanwhile Bell POV**

I was left in the guild by Captain and the others. As I was a starter captain decided it would be best for me to get an advisor for the dungeon.

I am currently sitting in a small room and my advisor is going to be here any minute now. Yesterday and today were really good as I got a new famalia. Some in my famalia are really good while some are kind of scary as the man dressed in black's scary smile came to my mind. Not to mention our captain is really beautiful girl (he still thinks rimuru is a girl) when I first met her with her mask on I thought that she was a teenage boy with long hair but as she took off the mask I was really taken aback by her beauty and my grandfather's voice resounded within my ears _A real man always asks out a beautiful girl _I immediately suppressed that voice.

Whom am I kidding I am nowhere strong as her. I can sense it not only from her but from most of the people from my famalia. They have the air about them that only strong people gave off. As I am now I don't even deserve to stand even beside them not to think about standing by their side. I will got stronger, stronger that I can go with them in the dungeon, stronger that I can stand alongside them.

My thoughts were cut off my the screeching sound of the door and when I saw towards the door I saw a girl with pointy ears, shoulder length hair brown hair and emerald colored eyes in the guild uniform walking towards me.

She sat down on the chair next to me

"My name is Eina Tulle and I am your new dungeon advisor" she said while giving me a smile.

"I-I am Bell. Bell Cranell, Nice to meet you" I said bowing down.

"So Bell from today on I am going to teach you everything about the dungeon and the monsters in it" she said suddenly getting serious.

"Yes Miss Eina. I will be in your care" I said.

"So which famalia are you from Bell" she asked.

"I am from the Hestia Famalia"

Suddenly the room went silent, I didn't know what I said wrong, I just answered her question.

"WHAT" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I-Is there a-a problem with that" I asked getting scared.

"N-No it's just that the guild is really in a mess because of your famalia" she said regaining her composure.

" Did we do something wrong Miss Eina"

"No you did nothing wrong but registering of so many level 6 and the existence of a new level 7 is too much to take in at the same time for the Guild" she said.

" Is it that big of a deal?" I asked as I barely know about it as I recently arrived.

"You really don't know, the whole guild, no the whole city is talking about your famalia at the moment" she said explaining it to me.

"Oh I didn't know"

" And you know the gods have also called a meeting as to discuss this sudden arrival"

"WHAT!"

**Meanwhile in the dungeon**

As Rimuru went to take care of the other monsters Veldora, Milim, Diablo started to argue about who will take care of the boss.

"Veldora-sama why don't you sit this one back and I take care of it" Diablo suggested with a smile.

"In your dreams, do you think I will ever back down after I finally got my chance" Veldora said.

"Hey you two, you should let me take care of it as I am level 7. I am basically your superior" Milim said with a sense of superiority.

"We could also be level 7 if we want to. It's your problem that you can't suppress your power" Veldora said mocking her.

"I already said it's not my fault" Milim said angrily while destroying several monsters.**(They are basically having a friendly discussion during a fight)**

"Why don't we all go at it at once" Diablo suggested trying to break the quarrel.

"Great idea! We should all attack it at the same time so each of us gets a dig" Veldora said.

"If you are okay with it" Milim said tightening her fists.

And with that the once all mighty and powerful floor boos who has killed many parties of adventurers in the past was reduced to nothing more than a toy in eyes of the 3 predators as they charged at it.

Udaeus seeing its enemy charging swung its black sword at them which they dodged with no effort and charged towards their prey from different directions.

Diablo dodged the incoming sword by jumping high into the air launching towards its left arm.

Veldora dodged the sword by jumping at the right side aiming an attack onto its right arm.

Milim on the other hand didn't bother to dodge the sword as she caught the huge sword by her two hands deflecting it upward while charging at it to punch it in the middle of its body.

Veldora and Diablo's attack connected at the same time decimating Udaeus's right and left arm at the same time.

Milim's attack came just seconds after punching a big hole at the middle of its body.

Udaeus screamed in anguish as the pain rushed through its body with its two hands disintegrated and a hole through its chest, it was about to charge again but before it could charge at them his 3 enemies suddenly appeared in front of his face.

"Now time to end this" Milim said clutching her fists ready to land the final blow.

"As much as I hate to admit it, our fun ends here" Diablo said with some disappointment in his voice.

"Kuhahaha this was fun but you must die now" Veldora said laughing.

With these words the three together punched its head as its head began to fell down from its already tattered body. The force behind their fists was so much that it sent tremors through the ground as Udaeus's head fell on the ground slowly began to turn to black dust.

**Rimuru's POV**

The scene I saw in front of my eyes was predators preying on their prey and I could say they were having the best time of their life with seeing those smile on their faces.

Seriously my most closest friends were true battle maniacs. I was approaching them as their fight got over.

"So did you three have your fun" I asked.

"""YES""" the three replied loudly with visible delight on their faces.

The remainder of our team also came back as I was checking the item the boss monster dropped.

In the journal it is said to be Udaeus Black sword. It is worth 5 million valis if we exchange it with the guild for money. Combining it with the monsters we have killed until now we should probably have 10 million valis on our hands _but is it enough to buy a new home?_ Was the question on my mind.

"Okay so we are going till the 40 floor for more monsters and if we can't make the whole money today we are going to come back tomorrow" I said giving orders like a true captain.

As we were about to walk to the lower floors we stopped when we heard footsteps coming from the lower floors.

They were not of a single person, not even of a party it was something bigger than a party. Because of my good hearing I could hear they were not alone they were being chased by something._ Those footsteps are not human they were….monsters _I thought.

"Rimuru-sama there seems to be more fun ahead of us" Diablo said while again getting excited.

As the footsteps got closer and closer, we could finally see them. There were many adventurers running with a huge group of monsters on their back.

The numbers of monsters were not a joke they were hundreds in number. How did they even find that many monsters and why are they running straight towards us.

(They are doing a cross-parade)

That was it Ciel just answered all my questions with those words. I heard from Hestia that the Loki famalia was on an expedition on the lower levels of the dungeon. That explains the high number of people and monsters. And cross-parade, I have heard that term from Hestia before.

It was when a party leads the monsters they can't kill on a different party to escape.

As they passed us I knew they saw us but ignored us completely. I was furious but didn't say a thing as they ran and ran and were finally out of the view.

(It is a good thing.)

Good thing! How is this a good thing, they literally left all the monsters to us.

(Think of the magic stones)

Wait! Why didn't I think about it before, there are basically level 2, 3 and 4 monsters ahead of us with hundreds in number. If we kill them there is no doubt we will make more money to at least buy a home.

And with that the worried expression under my mask suddenly changed into a smile.

"Hey rimuru" Milim suddenly called out to me.

"Yeah what is it." I asked.

"CAN I USE MY STRONGEST MAGIC"

**Loki famalia POV**

"Hey Finn we can't just leave them out there to die" Riveria Ljos Alf the vice captain of the Loki famalia said to their captain.

"So what can we do we don't have enough high level people to go help them out" Finn Deimne the captain of the Loki famalia said.

"We just need to buy enough time so they too can escape. At least we can do that" she retorted as she was hesitant to let adventurers die because of their mistake.

"Who do you think we send to buy time" Finn asked while still running.

"I still have enough power before I go mind down and if you, Aiz and Gareth come along, we can at least buy time till they escape" she said to their captain.

"You should just leave them, if they are strong and brave enough to go that deep they should have the power to support it if not they should just die" Bete Loga another high level member of Loki famalia said.

"You shut your mouth Bete, if you are so strong then why did you run away in the first place and it is our mistake that that many monsters are onto them" she said in a harsh tone.

"Yeah whatever" he said with face filled with embarrassment as he realized what she said.

"So Fi-"she stopped mid sentence as the ground below them started trembling, the walls of the dungeon started shaking, the already tired adventurers started falling to the ground and they heard a large sound of a explosion coming from the floor they just passed.

This time Finn was the one started giving orders.

"Aiz, Riveria, Gareth and Bete and any adventurer on level 4 come with me and the rest of you don't stop, we will meet on the 18 Floor" he said as they started making their way from where the explosion came from.

As they started making their way to the site Finn asked Riveria

"Riveria what do you think that was?"

"I don't know myself, I can just say it was some kind of magic" she said

"Don't joke around, even you can't cast spells capable of shaking the entire dungeon" Bete shrugged it off not believing it.

Slowly the light from the 37 floor came to their eyes as they got closer and closer, the sight they saw upon reaching the floor sent horror to all their minds.

The ones big floor was now in tatters, the floor boss they left without fighting to conserve energy and the monsters chasing them from the deep floors and the adventurers they left there to die were all gone.

Where should have been all these things was a wide crater covering the entire floor with still steam coming of the floors showing that it was just recently turned into this mess. They knew this had something to do with the trembling they heard moments before.

"W-W-What i-is this?"Bete asked trembling. The normally always babbling werewolf of the Loki famalia was terrified to see the scene in front of him.

"I-I don't know" Riveria said still with horror in her eyes.

"Was it done by them" Aiz who was still silent finally spoke up. Other people would say she still wore her doll like face but people who knew her could see that she was also in shock.

_WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE?_ was the question on everyone's mind who witnessed the horrific scene but there was no answer to their question.

Nobody there knew they would get the answer soon enough.

**Rimuru's POV**

We are currently walking through the streets of Orario heading to the guild for the exchange.

I would have complained about the Loki famalia to the guild but my happiness overpowered my anger as I got what I wanted without going through more trouble.

Milim really outdid herself, I knew of Milim's favourite and most powerful magic, I have took an attack from it myself once. And to be honest the title of most powerful magic is not for show. She sent the whole floor trembling with that attack.

Many people were starring at us wide eyed and why would they not. We were carrying three big bags full of magic stones. We could have kept the in our storage space but as that kind of magic doesn't exist here we decided against it. We were already suspicious in the eyes of the guild we didn't want more trouble.

I could hear people's mumbling like

"Is it really them."

"Are they the ones everyone's been talking about"

"Are they the newcomers"

"Where is the level 7 in them"

_News sure travels fast in this city_ as I was thinking that we came to the guild's front door.

After entering we directly went over to the exchange counter. I needed to get this over with fast.

As we approached counter the employee suddenly stood up from her seat.

I was not liking this one bit. I knew something was up, I could feel it in the air. The atmosphere was really tense from the moment we entered.

I kept the bags with magic stones on the counter. The employee looked shocked at first by the number of magic stones but immediately regained her composure and started her work.

Now it was getting on my nerve. Why are all looking at us! I wanted to shout out loud but decided against it.

Veldora, Diablo and Milim were satisfied with their fights in the dungeon and didn't mind too much.

"Tw-Twenty five million Valis" the employee said trembling.

Then it hit me, of course they are tense. We are already the news of the city and now this much money on the first trip was just adding fuel to the fire. But there was something more to it, I don't know what but I could tell there will be more trouble ahead.

I hurriedly took the money and went out of the guild. As we were heading to the church I suddenly heard Hestia's voice.

"Hey Rimu-chan wait right there!" she said while running at us.

"Yeah what is it Hestia, we could talk at the church" I said as I was pretty tired.

"You don't need to go there anymore. As promised I found us a new house" she said excitedly.

"Really! Where is it" I asked curiously.

"It's just south of here, it's a two story building with enough rooms for all of us. But there is just one problem" she said.

"What is it?"

"Well its worth 20 million valis, so we would have to take it on debt" she said while her voice got sad.

"Is that so then don't worry about it we already got that much money" I said comforting her.

"A-Are you serious! How did you get that much money" she asked.

"Today in the dungeon we made a total of 25 million Valis" I said giving her a thumbs up.

"N-N-No way right! I have never seen that much money in my life" she said shocked.

Yes I was correct this much money in the first trip is really a big deal. _I have got myself into a big mess._

"I have already brought it from the owner on debt and the other members are already preparing it" she said after recovering from her shock.

"Oh that's great then. Lets head there, lead us the way Hestia" I said

"Then come with me"

After we reached the building I was surprised to see that it was a big house consisting of many rooms, kitchen, a big dining hall and the others have also arranged a office for me close to my room.

"See isn't it good Rimu-chan?" Hestia asked me.

"Yes! Its great."

"And you know Rimu-chan you all have caused quite a ruckus" she said getting serious.

"What do you mean?" I asked totally oblivious to the situation.

"There is going to be a Denatus tomorrow" she said in a serious tone.

"What is a Denatus?" I asked.

"Denatus is a meeting of all gods where they give alias to adventurers and discuss various topics concerning the city. Usually it is held every 2 months but it will be held tomorrow because of some circumstances" she said.

"And I presume these circumstances are concerning us" I said understanding the situation.

"You know arrival of several level 6 and then existence of another level 7 is a big topic which can't be neglected. It was bound to happen anyway" she said as if she was expecting this.

"But tomorrow's meeting is slightly different as they have allowed the adventurers from different famalias to accompany their gods. I know exactly why they added this condition." She said with getting slightly angry.

"Because they want some of us to come too" I said as I understood why we were getting stares at the guild.

"Exactly"

"Nothing we can do about it now can we" I said shrugging it off.

Hestia understood that and returned to her normal cheerful self.

I went inside my office as everyone went into their rooms. It was a really good place to call an office, it was clean and silent. As I was sitting on my chair I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in" I said

"Sorry to disturb you this late captain" Bell said.

"Don't worry about it, so how was your day at the guild. And more importantly how was your advisor." I asked knowing he spent the day at the guild with his advisor.

"It was really good. My advisor was an elf named Miss Eina…."

I didn't hear what he said next, the entire day's events in the dungeon and the upcoming Denatus worries, all were thrown into the dustbin after I heard that one word.

_Elf_

_Elf_

_Elf_

That entire night I couldn't sleep with just one regret in my mind

WHY DIDN'T I TAKE AN ADVISOR!

**And it is over! This is the first chapter in this story I am satisfied with writing and really put a lot of effort in it. Next chapter is going to be Denatus, I know I am not going as per the arcs in the real story but I am also going to cover them slowly. I am not good with writing fighting scenes and I will try to improve.**

**So did you like the chapter?**

**SEE YOU IN THE NEXT ONE**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- The gathering of Gods and The Destroyer.**

**Here is the next chapter, I wasn't able to update because I was engrossed in some light novels and didn't get time to write but here it is now.**

She was really bored watching the daily life of Orario. She used to watch them everyday from the Tower of Babel, she had the view of the entire city but then too she couldn't find anything worth her interest. She could gain anything she wanted because of her beauty and strength because she was the leader of the strongest famalia in Orario, she was Freya The Goddess of Beauty.

She snatched up every person who caught her interest, be it may a god or a human. She could see the souls of a person from just a look and if the soul is of a peculiar color she would take them in her famalia even if they wished or not. Nobody would object her after seeing her face, she would charm them in her beauty and make them hers but now she was bored, bored of waiting for someone who caught her interest.

But it changed that day, she could feel some strange powers in the city, she could first time in her immortal life not find out what it was, she could see a glimpse of their soul but they soon faded away in the mingling crowd of the city. She couldn't exactly see them or their souls clearly but of the glimpse she saw she knew they were special, she could feel the everlasting power.

She was going to make her move but again she saw something strange, a boy coming out of the guild, he was weak, fragile but what was more interesting was his soul, it was the color she had never seen before, it was transparent. He had a rabbit like appearance with white hair and red eyes but she found it somewhat cute. She was furious to find out that he had applied to join her famalia but got rejected without her permission but now she had other plans for him. She would see his growth and gain him after he got strong but then

"Lady Freya there will be a Denatus tomorrow" Ottar the only level 7 and the captain of her famalia said.

"Why are they doing it now Ottar, it should be held 2 months from now?" she said.

She didn't like the Denatus very much it was boring, the gods would bicker on uninteresting topics and many other boring things.

"It is being held tomorrow because of a special request from the guild, it seems there…" he stopped midway reading the letter.

"What is it Ottar?" she was starting to get annoyed now.

"It seems ….. another level 7 and several level 6 appeared out of nowhere and joined a famalia at the same time."

"What?" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

It all made sense now the strange powers she sensed and the people who always escaped her gaze. It must be them.

"Ottar tell them that in this denatus every famalia can have some famalia members escort their gods."

"As you wish."

She is going to use every authority she has as the strongest famalia to reach them, even if she has to bend the rules a little.

Her face turned from the expression of annoyance to a smile. Her boredom will finally come to an end now.

**Loki familia POV**

She was the trickster goddess, she had one of the strongest familias in Orario rivaling the Freya familia but now the expression on her face was a grim one.

"So you left some adventurers on the 37 floor and after some time you heard some rumbling and went to the same floor to find it completely destroyed."

"Y-Yes, we believe that the adventurers we left behind did that" Riveria said reporting the incident to her goddess.

"All right! I believe you." Loki said while leaning back on the couch.

"You really do?" Riveria asked with a suspicious gaze.

"Read the letter" Loki said while forwarding a letter toward her.

"What is this?" Riveria asked confused while opening the letter.

She started to read the letter and with each line she read her eyes widened more and more.

"im-impossible….how can this happen" she started mumbling to herself.

"What is in the letter?" Finn the captain of the Loki familia asked.

"R-Read it yourself." She said handing the letter over to him and again went into her deep thought.

Finn read the letter as he was told and he had the same reaction as Riveria.

"Loki what is the meaning of this" he slammed the letter on the table and asked his goddess.

"Exactly what is written on it." She replied.

"There can't be level 6 and 7 appearing out of nowhere. We need years of going into the dungeon." He shouted while slamming his hand onto the table.

"Loki if this is one of your pranks then stop with it" Riveria said coming out of her thought.

"W-Why would I do that, see their the guild's official seal is on the letter." Loki started speaking more frantically rather than her carefree tone.

"And you think they were the ones we left on the floor"

"I don't know, but this corresponds with what you said just now. If the rumor is true than they are most likely the ones who did it" Loki said.

"What rumor?"

"According to what the rumor says that they gained 25 million valis on their first trip to the dungeon." Loki said

"Anybody would gain that kind of money if they really killed the amount of monsters chasing us" Finn said while remembering the monsters chasing them.

"So which familia they joined?" Riveria asked

Suddenly the air in the room changed and it turned to a more gloomy one.

"They joined that big boobs Riveria! Can you believe it Riveria why would they join that big bobbies" Loki suddenly started mumbling with the face of complete defeat and small tears coming out of her eyes.

Riveria knew why her goddess was acting like this, she had a fierce rivalry going on with the Goddess Hestia. Her goddess was jealous of Hestia because of her bust size and they both continued teasing each other whenever they met. Her only upper hand was that she had a familia of high level adventurers but now that advantage was surely taken from her.

"Isn't it suspicious for so many high level adventurers to join a same familia and that too a goddess with no familia at all. They could have joined any big familia in Orario then why this." Finn commented.

"This would surely destroy the power balance in the city and I don't think the gods are gonna stop just because they are a part of a familia. There is going to be a whole lot of trouble coming for them" Loki suddenly spoke in a serious tone coming out of her childish attitude.

"I am sure somebody will make their move soon enough and I highly doubt Denatus is not gonna be one of those places" Riveria said.

"Somebody already has Riveria" Loki said with a grin on her face.

"And how is that?" Finn asked.

"Just for this Denatus gods are allowed to bring some familia members with them, I wonder whose move it could be" Loki said exactly knowing who could do that.

"You don't mean…"

"She was bound to get involved anyway, there is not just one King in the city now" Loki voice echoed in the Twilight Manor.

**Next Day**

**I was in a peculiar situation, why? I had to select our best swordsmen for a duel.**

**"Okay then, the participant from our side would be….**

**Wait wasn't there supposed to be Denatus today? Yeah there was. How did it turn out like this? We have to revert back in time for just 30 minutes to find out.**

We were walking towards the Tower of Babel. The tower was the highest place in the city. I had some suspicious feeling about that tower as I always felt someone watching us. To be honest it gave me creeps even at night thinking that someone is watching our every move.

_What a situation we are in! _So much for keeping low. Every small thing we did since coming here is turning out to be a big issue for them. I just came here to have some fun and time off from work but it had turned out to be a real mess, and I had a feeling the mess was only going to get bigger.

I was accompanied with Milim, Diablo and Chloe and of course Hestia walking in front of us. Hestia had been really cheerful lately, is it because she got a big famalia. She must be really lonely before.

I wanted to keep Milim at home but she cried to come along with me. I don't want her causing trouble or spout some secrets in this Denatus or whatever it is.

We reached at the entrance to the tower but as soon as we were going to step in

"Hey Hestia how are you doing?" came a voice from behind us.

Once we turned around we saw a women with red hair and an eye patch on her one eye walking towards us waving her hands.

_Is she one of those villains in the movies?!_ was the first thought in my mind.

"Oh Hephaestus! Thanks for the suggestion for the house, it really helped a lot" Hestia said waving her hand back at her.

"Oh no problem! But how will you find the money to pay for it and let me remind you I am not going to give you a single valis.

As soon as she said that Hestia's face suddenly drew a smirk on it.

_What are you smirking about, we were the ones who brought the money from our effort. Whether it was effort or not should be left for debate._

"HaHaHa Hephaestus I am not as poor as I was before, I have a familia now and I have already paid the price for that place" Hestia said with puffing her chest proudly.

"Huh! Really, so that rumor of 25 million valis was true huh." She said while remembering the rumor she heard.

She looks at us with her red eyes, glancing at each one of us. Slowly her eyes were drawn to my sword which was hanging on my waist. Her eyes started to show some glimmer in them.

"I have never seen that kind of sword before, can I look at it." She said with some curiosity.

I gave her the sword as she asked me to. She looked at the black blade with eyes full of curiosity and amazement.

"Hestia who is she?" I asked in a small voice.

"Oh yeah, I haven't told you she is Hephaestus The goddess of Forge. She has the biggest forging famalia in Orario."

"Wow" she suddenly shrieked.

"This is forged with such precise skill and this metal it's the likes I have never seen before. Who forged it? What is this metal? Can I meet the one who forged this? Tell me." She suddenly shot several questions at me.

_Wow Wow Wow! Is this the same calm and composed women who came here. What is the sudden change? _

"I can see that this metal is very precious metal and those gems look like magic imbedded in them. Do you have your own blacksmith in your famalia" she now said with some calmness returning to her voice. She seems to have seen that I was a little uncomfortable.

"N-No we don't have a blacksmith in our familia. There was a very talented blacksmith from where we came from, so he was the one who made it." I said.

_I am telling half truth of course._

"Oh I see, what a shame?" she said disappointed while handing the sword over to me.

"I would very much like to talk to you about it more sometime." She added.

"Hephaestus haven't you brought your famalia members with you." Hestia said while looking the goddess was all alone.

"Hestia don't be silly, nobody really wants to see my famalia members so I saw no reason to. You do understand right?"

"Yeah I pretty much understand everything" Hestia said with annoyed voice.

_Even though I got my familia so late, I need to protect them from those selfish pieces of shits._ She has made a resolution if anybody ever tries to take her familia away from her she is not going to stand it. She was a fool who got tricked very easily but now it is a matter of her familia and she had no intention of letting anybody take them away from her even if the strongest familias stand in the way.

With her resolution set she started walking in the Tower of Babel, on the 30th floor.

As we entered the 30th floor through the door we came inside a room full of a ruckus. As soon as we entered the hall everyone went kind of in a silent mode.

_This is way worse than I thought. What's with this special attention kind of thing._ I thought. There were several seats on with all kinds of faces were sitting and behind each seats stood three or four adventurers.

_This is embarrassing being the center of attention. And what's with Hestia standing proudly. You are way too overconfident._

As Hestia and Hephaestus sat on their seats, the Denatus began.

After the Denatus began they discussed many topics such as Orario's economy and started giving alias to new leveled up adventurers. Anybody present in the room can understand that whatever topics they were talking about seemed half-hearted, like everybody was waiting for the real show to begin. After the end of the boring discussions one extraordinarily beautiful figure stood up and started talking.

"Now for our last topic, as we all know some new faces have joined us here in Orario and we need to have to do something about it" she said in a soft voice.

Suddenly the bored expression of everyone turned to that of a delighted one as if they were waiting for this moment for centuries.

"What do you mean by do something about it Freya! They are already part of my familia and you have nothing to do with it." Hestia suddenly shouted at the top of her voice slamming her hand against the table in front of her.

"Don't be like that Hestia, you got so many powerful children at the same time. Isn't it a bit suspicious."

"Yeah and nobody wanna join a loli like you out of nowhere." Loki stood up from her seat and spoke that line that mostly all the gods wanted to say except some.

"Oh! Are you jealous Loki?!" Hestia mocked Loki. Her previous face of anger was completely gone replaced with a smug face. I could say she was having a time of her life.

"You wanna go at it you bitch." Loki shouted out loud.

"Come at me you flat-chested women"

Both tried to walk towards each other but were suddenly gifted with chops on their heads.

I did the honors of gifting it myself and the other side was gifted by some elf with green hair.

_Really this is what these gods meetings are like, others are simply enjoying it as it's a common occurrence. What do they even do here when there are no humans to stop them._

"Hey come on Rimu-chan what's that for aren't you supposed to be on my side" Hestia said facing me with her hands covering her head.

"What are you a 5 year old, try to act a more mature." I said to her. Even Milim is better than you.

"We are really sorry for our goddess's behavior. I hope you can forgive us." Came a voice of a female elf who had hit Loki moments ago.

"Hey, why are you apologizing Riveria. It was her fault to begin with." Loki suddenly responded to the elf pointing her finger at Hestia.

_I am really beginning to question who is the god here._

"No! It was our mistake as well. I hope you can forgive us." I returned the apology.

"I really have a question bothering me for a while. Were you the ones who destroyed floor 37 yesterday?" the elf asked her question loudly for everybody in the room to hear.

Everybody in the room went silent for a moment letting the words sink in and as soon as it did, the room went into an huge uproar.

_I never really thought they would miss to hear the rumbling but was it necessary to bring it up here. You are basically adding fuel to the fire._

"YES" My reply was a really straight forward one. Even if I try to conceal it they already know it was us. I could see how confident they were asking that question.

"It was our level 7 who did that" I pointed at Milim while adding that.

Right on the cue Milim came forward and introduced herself

"Nice to meet you! My name is Milim Nava and I was the one who destroyed that pathetic floor. HA-HA-HA-HA" Milim proudly introduced herself with an annoying laughter.

_No! I take that back. You too are no good than Hestia. There was no need for adding 'pathetic' and that arrogant laughter._

As soon as she introduced herself the whole room went into a crazy outburst.

_You have basically done it again. Yup, no food for you today._

There were several types of reactions, some were looking in disbelief and awe, some were laughing the matter off, some were carefully contemplating the situation in their mind, and some extra dumb ones unable to understand a thing just looked confused including Hestia.

"Hey Hey Rimu-chan you never said to me you destroyed a floor" she said to me in a hushed voice in my ear.

"First off all I didn't do it and you never asked about it." I said to Hestia completely ignoring her.

Your reactions are justified, nobody would think just my seeing her what kind of tyrant she is, I totally understand your feelings. As I was thinking about that slowly some cheering started becoming louder.

The Destroyer

The Destroyer

The Destroyer

Suddenly, what started with an echo became cheering which echoed throughout the room.

"Well t-then that is decided, the alias of the new level 7 is 'The Destroyer', t-truly a befitting title." The same beautiful lady, her name was Freya or something declared loudly but there was some shuttering in her voice.

It is as if she is trying to hold back something, she was barely even standing up her legs were kinda shaking too.

Nobody really noticed it as they were all cheering the same thing again and again.

"Shut the hell up! You think you are that big Hestia just because you got a level 7. Wait! Yeah, why don't we decide it with a duel. Your best swordsman against mine. Of course from my side I will choose Aiz. What do you say Hestia." Loki who couldn't handle the ever growing cheering of Milim shouted out with the top of her lungs.

"Oh what? You want it you got it, you flaty." Hestia too shouted in response to Loki.

Both sides again got a chop on their heads from me and the other side from the same elf.

"Again I am teri-"the elf was trying to apologize again but what cut her off was even louder cheering of the gods. The cheering was even louder than when naming Milim and the excitement was on a whole different level.

Yes, the gods always craved for fun in their boring lives and what better way would it be for them to see a duel between the famous The Sword Princess and the newly arrived familias best swordsmen. It was a spectacle which any god would never miss.

"Um, excuse me" I tried to say something but they treated me like I wasn't even there. The only thing in their mind was the duel.

"I am Ganesha and I would do the honors of setting up the place for the duel because I am Ganesha." One muscular dude stood up who had a elephant mask on his face and said in a majestic tone.

He was Ganesha, The god of the Masses and the leader of the biggest familia in Orario.

'That's our Ganesha for you' and 'you are the best' comments started flowing toward the God of the Masses as he started giving various poses.

Needless to say, the most troubled were the ones being addressed, that were the Loki and Hestia familia. Loki familia members were showing very tensed faces and it would be right to say on our side the only one tensed was me. My familia members were standing proudly as if they have just been awarded.

_This situation is moving way too fast, I don't think I can revert back the situation so the better thing as I always do would be to play along with the situation._

The million dollar question was 'Who should I send?'

As if on the cue Loki who suddenly got up overcoming the pain on her head asked

"Then who would you send from your side?" she said grinning.

She was getting death glares from her familia members but she pretended that she didn't notice it, the situation was like 'if I am gonna die I will die with glory' kind of thing.

Okay then who should I send? Milim would be good enough as she started the façade but I was not so sure of the opponent's life. That's out of the way.

_Best swordsmen._

Suddenly it clicked, what am I so worried about, you want the best swordsmen you got it! She is a swordswomen though, but who cares about those things.

"Okay then, the participant from our side would be…. Chloe O' Bell, our best swordsmen, or um swordswomen." I said pointing out at Chloe who was standing in one corner of the room.

"EH?" She shrieked for a moment and slightly jumping up when I suddenly pointed out at her outta nowhere.

Yes, the best we have. She is the strongest swordswomen we have right now. Even I will eventually lose if I only go at her with just my swordsmanship. Who better to depend on than the strongest hero herself.

As predators looking onto their pray, everyone one in the room started to asses her worth with sharp eyes. The pitiful Chloe could do nothing but stand there still, like a statue.

"S-Sensei um… why me?" She finally gathered up the courage to ask me.

"Huh? Who would be better than you Chloe. You are the best with the sword we have." I said to her as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She seemed to be taken aback by my confidence in telling that and seemed to take it as kind of some divine task.

"If you have shown such confidence in me then, I will never fail you. I will definitely emerge victorious." She said with total confidence as if the shock she had received moments ago were just a hallucination.

_Wow! What's with this sudden confidence with just some words. Well it should be a good thing….maybe._

I am seriously worried for the opponent.

The gods again went into an uproar after seeing the opponent. But not one

"Huh, you will be the opponent of my Aiz. You will never be able to understand what hit you when you lose." Loki said while looking at Chloe with voice full of confidence.

"We will see when time comes." Chloe replied back coldly.

_Wow! Where is the warm and gentle Chloe I knew._

Neither Rimuru nor anyone knew that the reply was from Chloe but also not Chloe.

When all the façade or I should say divine façade ended Loki suddenly remembered something and called out to someone.

"Hey Fre-Freya! Where did she go to?" she muttered to herself.

While she was doing so, she didn't even realize the death glares of all her familia members who came with her.

After this Denatus, the Hestia familia got a new nickname 'The House of The Destroyer' and nobody knew there were many more to come.

**Hestia familia House**

"Wow! That was unexpected" I said to myself.

(That was necessary development to leave a mark on others, so anybody would not be foolish enough to pick a fight without thinking.)

Ah! That's a point too. Now Chloe just need to win this duel than I will at least be able to concentrate on the Dungeon rather than on this.

As we are on that topic, who is Chloe's opponent again?

(Yes. According to the individual Loki, Chloe's opponent is one known as The Sword Princess Aiz Wallenstein. She is said to be a level 5 adventurer known for her sword skills.)

Oh, level 5. That's supposed to be a first class adventurer here.

(…..)

Ciel seems to want to say something but refrained from it. Is it the situation like 'no spoilers' kind of thing.

Well whatever, I am kinda looking forward to the battle now. But now I have other things to take care of.

"So my dear Hestia and Milim can you explain yourselves." I was currently deciding the punishment for Milim and Hestia for the situation we are in.

It turned out good this time but they still got on my nerve for their selfish behavior and it is not always that it will turn out good so they were in my office sitting on the floor.

"Um I-I just played along you know. It was because of Milim that Loki snapped and I just went along with the flow." Hestia tried to push all the blame on Milim who was next to her.

"W-W-What are you saying Hestia? I just introduced myself that's all. Yeah! That's all." Milim started sweating and replied with a loud voice.

"Shut it." I instantly commanded with a high pitched tone.

"Yes mam"

"Yes sir"

"eh?"

Question marks appeared everywhere on Hestia's face.

"Sir?" Hestia asked with a dumfounded expression.

"Oh! Didn't you know? Rimuru is a boy and I am his future Bride you know." Milim replied to the dumfounded Hestia while puffing her chest.

"You are not." I hurriedly replied to Milim.

"What? Why?" Milim started to question me with some tears appearing at sides of her eyes.

Meanwhile Hestia was in her own world and muttering to herself.

"Rimu-chan…a boy…marriage….bride" she was muttering something of those lines.

I didn't want to think what situations were going on in her mind.

And because of this reason the punishment was never decided.

Soon, because of this revelation, I am going to be in trouble every day or um….night.

Unfortunately, somewhere in the Loki familia's Twilight Manor, a certain trickster goddess was not as lucky as Hestia. Screams of anguish could be heard from the Manor which would give chills down the spine of anyone who heard it.

What happened that night cannot be described in simple words.

Days went by and on a specific day, most of Orario was in full on excitement mood, gods were gathering and people were cheering.

The reason

Today was the duel between

THE SWORD PRINCESS VS CHLOE O' BELL.

**It is over! I am going further away and away from the arcs in the original LN but….who cares? Whenever I am going to end it, some outrageous idea comes to mind and here's the result.**

**SEE YOU AT THE DUEL! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- The one who controls time.**

She ran, she ran with all her might. As soon as she got the chance she ran from that place because if she didn't she would have spoiled her entire image of her and her entire familia.

She hadn't felt so excited in ages. She was going to let loose right there in the Denatus and scream out loud but she controlled herself, for her dignity as a Goddess of Beauty would be lost.

They were abnormal. The moment they entered the room, she felt it. Her heart beat got all raised up, it was like her heart was going to come out. She controlled herself with all her might but could only run out in the end.

Those four people who came there were trouble. She could see at one glance they were not some pushovers. All of their souls were different.

The man who was dressed in black, he was in all kinds of words evil. He didn't have a shed of light in his soul, like whoever crosses him will be left with just despair. It was endless darkness.

The women who they choose for the duel, she was quite the opposite. Her soul was unique. But she couldn't discern this felling she was getting, there was something more like some other existence inside her. Her soul was glowing white but there was some shed of darkness behind them. The darkness with was raging to get out but was suppressed.

The girl who is the new level 7, she was just dangerous. She could fell it, the everlasting danger and despair which awaits the person who angers her. Her level 7 were in no sense whatsoever ready to challenge her. She just wished that the raging power inside of her doesn't unleash itself on her familia or if it did, she was sure to get destroyed. Surely such a befitting title 'The Destroyer'.

The last member or by her sense their captain was what that peeked her interest. He had seriously…nothing.

Neither any energy she felt from the other members nor his soul energy, like all of it was suppressed. He only had one thing on him that could possibly do that-The Mask he was wearing. If she was right, that was most probably the case.

But she have never heard of a item that could suppress even the soul energy. Even if there was she would be able to break through it and see the soul but no she couldn't.

That raised a horrifying question in her mind. Why was he suppressing it? In one side of her mind she wished she didn't get the answer but her ever growing curiosity suppressed that thought. If he was hiding something then, she got the felling it would be even worse than 'The Destroyer'.

But even after seeing this much she didn't stop. She tried one of her abilities which was irresistible. She tried to charm them. It was the ability that never failed her, it worked on everyone.

But first time in her long life, her best ability didn't work. They didn't even feel it, instead her ability backfired. She who always charms others was getting charmed herself. (They have mental attack resistance.)

It was unbearable. It was repelled back with double the power of the original, this time she found the source, Their Captain.

But what confused her was that he didn't even look like he noticed it as he was in his own dilemma. Then who did it?

There were too many questions, but no answer. There was too little info about them at this point. First she needs to find out everything she can about them and the duel gave her the perfect chance for that.

She was kind of thankful to her friend Loki for taking the trouble on her behalf.

She will wait and see until the perfect time comes. First time in her life one thing was made clear in her mind that one mistake will result in destruction of her.

Fist time she was scared. But this kind of stakes made in all the more fun.

"Whatever happens I want them." Her voice echoed in the dark alley as she ran.

Her mentality to see mortal as things for amazement was now shattered. What replaced that was pure obsession. First time she saw someone as not just a tool but worthy of calling her equal.

**Day of the Duel.**

The news of the Duel spread in Orario like wildfire after the Denatus. And why would it not. The duel between two first class adventurers were the likes they could never miss and they were not just any first class.

The duel was between the famous Sword Princess and a level 6 member of a familia which has been a hot topic of Orario for days now.

The viewers were divided into three parts, one who were the fans of the sword princess and her exploits who immediately started ridiculing The Hestia familia for their overconfidence.

Second were rooting for the Hestia familia because of the rumors being circulating lately. Some even started stating they were on par with Freya familia now.

Third were the ones who were neither here nor there. They just wanted to enjoy the duel between the two adventurers.

And the Gods could be said to be in the third category. They didn't know what the result would be but they were just excited to see the duel. At least that's what they showed outwards.

In reality they were all after information. They all wanted to see the strength of the new adventurers with their own eyes at asses their threat level.

They hit two birds with one stone, they found their entertainment and also they got a chance to analyze their power.

The gods were all gathered in the VIP seats of the coliseum owned by the Ganesha Familia.

Every god wanted the best view in the vicinity for this duel.

Either it was fate or not, the two goddess of the rivaling familia were seated next to each other.

"So ready for the defeat you loli." Loki said grinning. She was absolute sure of her victory.

"Huh, what are you so sure about flaty." Hestia said mocking her.

"Of course, your defeat is inevitable from the moment I decided to send my Aiz on the battlefield." Loki was brimming full of confidence while saying that.

"You are too confident Loki, we have to see what the other side has to offer too." Freya who was sitting on the left side of Loki said interrupting the conversation.

"Freya, you seem to have too much confidence in the other party don't you." Loki answered her with the most important query she had in her mind.

Loki was childish but was no fool, if Freya was saying something with so much confidence, there has to be something going on.

"OH, it's not like that at all. I just think the other party is a level 6 and your sword princess is a level 5. It is a clear one level difference." Freya answered to Loki with a smile.

"Is that so?" Loki was looking at Freya suspiciously but didn't peruse the matter any further.

"Loki what's with that scratches and wound marks all over your body." Hephaestus who was sitting behind Loki asked her.

"Huh what? Oh i-it's n-nothing really. D-Don't worry about it." Loki spoke while chills went down her spine when she remembered how she was tortured after Denatus.

As they were talking, huge cheers erupted from the audience below. That could only mean one thing. The show has started.

Loki stopped talking as a huge smile appeared on her face. In her mind even if a level 6 went against her Aiz, she would emerge victorious. She had absolute confidence about the fact.

On the other hand Hestia didn't know what to think. Even though she had a familia, she barely knew anything about them herself. She knew they were strong especially their level 7 and captain but she didn't know anything about how powerful the others were.

The one who will be fighting named Chloe, Hestia knew she was a level 6 but whenever she tried to look into her skills, her skills were basic skill of level 3 or 4. There were some skills that she couldn't see even though she was a god. Every time she tried she just saw a ?.

She couldn't show absolute confidence like Loki, if it was Rimuru or Milim she would have absolute confidence.

In short, she was concerned.

"Hello everyone! I am Ganesha and I will introduce the contestants for the Duel now because I am Ganesha." Hestia was brought back to reality by a very loud introduction.

"As you all know, today we will have a duel between two first class adventurers, one is as you all know is the famous sword princess from the Loki Familia. I introduce to you Aiz Wallenstein." Ganesha loudly introduced the first contestant of the duel pointing at one side of the Coliseum.

Right after the introduction, a women in her teens started making her way to the battlefield. She had long golden hair, gold eyes and a slender body. She was wearing a white and black battlecloth, black arm covers, long blue boots. She was wearing armor over this consisting of a headguard, breastplate, armguards, hip guards and knee guards.

Anybody could say by her appearance that she was ready for a battle.

The crowd erupted in a loud cheer as she made her way to the battleground. Loki was boasting about her follower in the VIP section to all the gods.

Aiz was told right after Denatus that she is going to be participating in a duel against a newly arrived level 6 member of Hestia familia and honestly she didn't think much of it. She had been in duels before with many adventurers who were trying to make a name for themselves by defeating her.

Her only goal was to get stronger whether it was in the dungeon or in fights with other adventurers. Now too she took it as an opportunity to get stronger.

She was kind of curious about the newcomers too. She knew there were very few adventurers outside Orario with level that high but when she heard there are several new level 6 and that they came from outside Orario, she wanted to know how they got that strong outside of Orario.

"And now, I introduce to you the person who will be facing her, the newly arrived adventurer from the Hestia familia. I introduce to you Chloe O' Bell." Ganesha introduced the second contestant pointing at the opposite direction.

As Chloe made her way to the battlefield, she just had one thing in mind and that was 'to win'. Her teacher who had once saved her life was watching her battle and she had no intention of loosing. She was not a battle maniac like others but now slightly but surely she could fell some excitement for the upcoming match.

When both participants came face to face, Shakti Verma the captain of The Ganesha Familia came forward and started explaining the rules of the match.

"Now for the rules of this match, as this is the duel to between swordsmen only weapons allowed is a sword, magic is allowed but mind down will result in loss, killing each other is not allowed, when the opponent cannot fight anymore or passes out will result in victory. As long as you keep these rules in mind everything goes. And….." she was going to finish her explanation when suddenly a person approached her and whispered something inside her ear.

"There is a certain addition to the stakes of this match, the loosing famalia will have to pay a amount of 500 million valis to the winning familia."

"WHAT?" Hestia who was quietly sitting on her seat suddenly shouted astonished at what was told.

"Oh Hestia, I just thought I should raise the stakes a little. It will be more interesting don't you think everyone." Loki asked the other gods while grinning widely.

"Huh?" Hestia was in extreme disbelief. She didn't need to hear the reply of the gods, it was obvious to her. She was tricked.

Seeing Hestia's this expression was what Loki longed for. This was one of the tricks of the Trickster Goddess. She knew that the gods would never reject her proposal as they all wanted entertainment and she was right. Nobody objected to her instead they looked all the more excited. Some gods close to Hestia wanted to object but they couldn't as they were outnumbered.

Loki knew the money would be paid easily seeing how much money Hestia Familia brought back on their first trip to the dungeon but it would nonetheless weaken their reputation in the city.

And to be honest that's what every power hungry god in the city wanted. They couldn't stand a familia rising to power from nowhere while they were trying for years.

Loki was discussing days ago who would make the first move? Ironically she herself was the one who made the move. She was absolute sure that this was a checkmate.

The commotion in the VIP area halted as they heard the voice of Ganesha. He was not where he was some time ago but on a special seat made for him outside of the battlefield.

"Now begin." He gave the order to start in a loud voice while making a very weird pose.

As soon as the order to start was given, Aiz hurriedly jumped back from where she was standing before.

From what she can see, her opponent didn't even move as if waiting for her to make the move.

_If that's what she wants._ She went to attack her opponent head on with her sword.

Her sword Desperate was a first class weapon and special sword made especially for herself by the Goibniu Familia. Because of its special ability **[Durandal]** the sword can never be broken. It was made for the continuous use its wielder.

She swung her sword down but it was intercepted by a long blade. Her opponent's expression didn't change. From the start it was that, emotionless.

From there started the continuous attacks from Aiz from every sides, from right, from left, from up and down but all the attacks were intercepted by the sword of the opponent.

Despite the audience enjoying the clash between these two entities but Aiz was not. It was like she was stuck in front of a wall. It was not even a wall, she would have brake through if it was.

This was Chloe's skill **[Absolute Defense]. **

Any physical or magical attack will not work against her. As the person who have reached the peak of swordsmanship, her opponent has way too many flaws.

Aiz knew her opponent wasn't going on the offensive but every try she made was being blocked by the opponent like it was nothing.

She didn't let the praise from other people get to her head but now it was like the opponent was mocking her. She didn't have any sense of pride but as a first class adventurer but now she was having the feeling that she absolutely hated, helpless and weak.

Any amateur wouldn't be able to notice but Aiz did. Chloe hadn't even moved a single step since their match started. She was just standing there defending every attack as if she knew from where every attack that was going to come.

Now she decided to use it, it could be said her strongest ability and she didn't use it on humans because it was too dangerous. She feared that it would kill her opponent. But those worries were behind her now.

"**[Ariel]**"

As soon as she said that green light started surrounding her. This was her wind enchant type magic which gives her both offensive and defensive boost. She broke many swords because of using this magic as it was too powerful for the sword to handle.

Unlike her speed moments ago she instantly appeared in front of her opponent and launched her sword forward faster than before.

She felt a very familiar feeling, the piercing of flesh but the moment that happened

She didn't know what happened but she was standing at the exact spot she was standing before attacking. Her ability was activated, she was still engulfed in green light but it was as if she never even attacked.

_What happened? _Discarding the confusion she again attacked with the same thing but this time unlike before the feeling of flesh piercing was replaced by a cling sound.

Only some people in the area have been noticing what was really happening in the match.

The gods were one of those. Even though time related abilities would work on mortals it had no effect on gods.

This was the first time for Loki who had absolute confidence in her victory understood how big of a fool she was.

What a normal human could see was that Chloe was deflecting every attack from Aiz but even with their divine powers sealed gods could easily see what was really happening.

In the eyes of the gods, what they were seeing was a repeat of a same attack twice but the only difference was that the second time it was deflected.

Aiz was only able to see a glimpse of this as her speed greatly increased due to using Ariel.

Chloe who was using her ability to predict every attack had really no need to use it to win, she could have won using her sword skills alone but she was specially asked by Rimuru to use it and when she asked why his answer was that to not arise pointless situation like these ahead in the future.

Chloe's ability was the perfect ability to reveal out of all of the members because even if the gods knew the ability and revealed it to their famalias, there is no way to create a countermeasure for it. It was an absolute skill which could not be avoided despite how hard the opponent tries because there is no way to escape from the one who already know the future.

And the fear it was meant to install in the Gods hearts seems to have done its work.

After glancing a last time at the section where the gods sat and seeing that their plan had worked Chloe decided to end this.

She just needed to add the final touches to the already prepared dish.

Aiz didn't know what was happening with this match. The thing she saw just now was beyond abnormal. She had absolute certainty that her attack hit but what happened after that was a complete blur to her.

As she was trying to figure out what was happening, first time in the match her opponent moved from the spot she was standing.

She was going to lift her sword but before she could blink her opponent was in front of her eyes. Due to the sudden appearance she lost her balance but before she could regain it

"**[Infinite Prison]"**

First time in their battle the opponent spoke something, before she could even comprehend her words the sword in her hand turned into fine dust particles in front of her eyes.

The infinite prison was not to trap Aiz but instead her sword. Infinite Prison slowly consumes the energy of anything trapped inside it until it eventually dies. Veldora himself could live for 300 years only because of the monstrous energy level of a True Dragon, compared to the energy of a true dragon Aiz's sword has a negligible amount of energy.

Even the sword's unbreakable ability needs energy to maintain its effect but that same energy was consumed at a tremendous rate by infinite prison.

This all happened in less than five seconds and the dust particles which were once a first class weapon worth 99 million valis scattered to the ground.

Aiz didn't even have the moment to grieve for her sword before intense pain hit her. Her magic Ariel's defensive barrier which surrounded her body like an armor instantly disappeared.

"Your sword skills are commendable but they have many flaws in them." She heard a soft voice before her consciousness drifted into darkness.

_SILENCE. _

There couldn't be heard a single voice from the entire coliseum. It all happened way too fast for them. From what they saw Chloe just appeared in front of Aiz, something destroyed her sword and Aiz was on the ground.

After some moments,

"T-The winner of this match Chloe O' Bell from The Hestia Familia." Shakti Verma The Captain of The Ganesha Familia announced after watching Ganesha was in his own train of thought and was not speaking.

The words took a moment to sink in into everyone and as soon as it did the crowd went into a huge uproar. Some were applauding, some were cheering, some were just astonished but nobody was ridiculing as in the start of the match.

But there was a certain VIP section which was utterly silent.

"Impossible, that sword had the ability to never be broken let alone be turned into dust." Goibniu, The god of The Goibniu Familia and the one who himself made the sword was in disbelief as he saw the pile of dust. The sword he made could of course be dulled but can never be broken.

The gods didn't pay heed to his outburst as they were in their own dilemma.

One thing was going through everyone's mind-

_That ability is absurd!_

The ability they just saw was never used by any mortal before because it was out of their realm. The ability to interfere with time itself was never heard of. Already knowing the future attack is an absolute skill. It could be even said to rewinding fate itself.

The most terrifying thing was that it has no countermeasure whatsoever.

Someone born with skill as absurd as that would be only born in once in a million years.

As if that skill was not good enough, she is an expert swordswomen. Add the skill with her swordsmanship and you get a strongest hero of the generation.

Even though it amazed the gods to have such talented adventurer, it also sent chills down their spine to think that only one adventurer can bring an end to entire familias in Orario. If she ever decided she could even end the biggest familias.

And as if to add fuel to the fire they even have 'The Destroyer' who is said to have destroyed an entire floor in the Dungeon by herself.

They don't even know what the other members can do yet. If the top executives were this powerful than what even is their captain who handles them. A monster.

Loki who had just seen her most favourite follower manhandled was also thinking along those line.

_They must have been enjoying seeing how I was so confident in the Denatus. And not to mention I endured that hellish torture just to see this. That Hestia had earned herself the biggest jackpot of her life._

In first time in her life the trickster goddess was herself tricked.

She looked at the person she believed tricked her, but to her own surprise that person herself looked as if she had seen the most unbelievable moment in her life.

Meanwhile Hestia was thinking 'I need to check the abilities of my familia members again and this time SERIOUSLY'.

On this day Chloe O' Bell received a title among the gods 'Chronos' which would later be decided as her official alias.

"Our plan worked huh!" Rimuru who was watching the entire match said as he glanced at the gods.

(It worked better than speculated.)

Revealing Chloe's ability was a gamble which paid off better than imagined. There wouldn't be anyone foolish enough to again try their luck…at least for now.

(The magic **[Ariel]** has been analyzed. It is possible to use it now.)

_Wow! That fast._

"Spirit energy huh! Now that's an interesting specimen." Ramiris who was beside me was mumbling something to herself but I didn't give any attention to it.

As today's event came to an end I walked towards Chloe who too was coming in my direction to congratulate her.

**With this over I am going to concentrate on Bell for some chapters now.**

**How was the chapter?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- First adventure in the Dungeon. (PART ONE)**

**Hey there! The Hestia Familia is kind of rich now aren't they? I always kind of hated how they always got looked down upon by those so called big familias. Well, let's start the chapter. I am dividing this chapter into two parts.**

She got up. The last thing she remembered was hearing the words of her opponent.

'Your sword skills are commendable but they have too many flaws in them.'

She hated that line from the bottom of her heart. She learned swordsmanship from her father. Saying that means her father's sword skills had flaws. She couldn't accept it but she had to.

She lost fair and square. She is still too weak. She couldn't even scratch her opponent.

Now that she thinks about it, the whole match was abnormal. The opponent just stood there like a statue only blocking at the exact direction she was going to attack.

And at the moment she used [Ariel], even now she couldn't comprehend what happened. She remembered attacking her, she was sure of it. Then how was she again standing there as if nothing happened?

She was driven out of her thought by a familiar voice.

"Aiz you got up."

It was Riveria. The vice captain of her familia. She was seated there in front of her bed looking at her.

"Y-Yes" She replied in a somewhat hoarse voice.

"I will get some water for you."

Saying that she left the room.

After some time she entered again but she was not alone. She was accompanied by the top executives of the Loki Familia and Loki herself.

Everybody surrounded her while Riveria gave water to her.

"How are you feeling?" Finn asked her.

"Fine" The reply was short but they were relieved to hear her back to normal.

"Loki it was all your fault, don't you have to say a thing." Riveria told Loki in a angry tone.

"I-I am…..sorry." Loki said in a very low voice diverting her eyes from everyone.

"That's all you have to say after that much loss you caused to the entire familia and especially Aiz." Finn shouted unlike his usual calm self.

Everybody was angry. Their familia not even got a big loss in money but also reputation.

"All because of your petty rivalry." Finn added.

"But how was she able to even defeat Aiz. Aiz skills are top notch in swordsmanship and she handled her like she was nothing." Bete said what everyone had in mind in the room except one.

"Whatever Aiz would have tried she wouldn't be able to win." The answer came from Loki who was diverting her eyes all this time.

"What do you mean?" Riveria asked her.

"That girl was absurd. You all wouldn't be able to notice but that girl was predicting every attack before it even happened." Loki said with a scrawl.

"I can't understand you." Finn said.

"Her ability directly affects time. She knew every attack Aiz was gonna do and from where. In short, she already knew the future." Loki put it in the most simple words possible.

It took a moment for everybody to understand and when they did they were all silent.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND." The one who broke the silence was Riveria.

As an High Elf, she had the most knowledge about magic in the entire familia. What Loki was saying was totally outrageous to her. Never in her life she had heard of it.

"It wasn't magic, it was a skill." Loki answered with a calm voice slightly opening her eyes.

"Loki is right." The conformation came from the one on which the skill had been used.

Aiz could now slightly grasp what was happening in the match. She knew all along that she hit her opponent. Now she knew what happened after her attack.

"The opponent was playing with time itself. Now you know why I said Aiz would never have won." Loki said.

"If it is true why couldn't we see it?" Finn asked after contemplating the info he got.

"Let me explain to you, we all saw when Aiz attack succeeded but as soon as it did the time itself was rewinded to the moment when she was gonna attack, with the time your memories or I could say the entire world was back to that time. So it was like you never even saw it." Loki explained to everyone.

"Then how did you see it?" Riveria asked Loki.

"We are not gods for nothing you know." Loki said with a smug face.

"But if you saw it, then wouldn't every god would have seen it. Why would they reveal such important skill of their member." Bete asked to Loki.

Yes, it was very important for a familia to hide their member's skills so the other party couldn't come up with a countermeasure….wait?

"Exactly what you think." Loki said to Bete seeing his expression.

The reality hit the familia members at the exact same time.

"There is not even a countermeasure for it." Finn spilled the reality out for everyone.

"Their captain must have quite the brains for sending her."

"Using such underhanded tactics…." Bete mumbled in a low voice with much disgust in his voice.

"NO" The response came from Aiz who have been quiet the whole time.

"What do you mean?" Bete asked her.

"Even if she used her ability she gave no opening from the starting the match. Even when I used [Ariel] I could feel her eyes were following me even with that speed." Aiz said calmly with her usual tone.

"You mean to say she could have defeated you without that time thing." Loki asked her.

"If she just depended on her ability of time she wouldn't be able to penetrate my Ariel's defensive barrier that easily." Aiz answered.

"Then why did they even go to the effort of showing the ability." Gareth, The dwarf who had been listening to all this asked.

"THEY WERE MAKING AN EXAMPLE OUT OF US." Loki shouted on top of her lungs realizing what the opponent's intention was all this time.

Even after hearing Loki's outburst all could do nothing but stand there. They have been tricked. They couldn't say tricked as it was their goddess's own foolishness but the opponent took full advantage of it.

Truly the opponent was a genius. The opponent made them dig their own grave without even realizing it.

"I am going in the dungeon." Aiz suddenly got up from her bed.

She had fully recovered so there is no need to stay on the bed forever. She had to get stronger and push herself even harder. She will make her opponent take back her words.

Normally she wouldn't mind any of those but she just couldn't let those words slide. Those words put stain on her father's sword skills and that was because of her. She didn't have a grudge against her opponent but those words made a hole in her heart.

She will get stronger, stronger than before and again challenge her opponent. Even if she didn't win she will reach the height that her opponent will at least take her words back.

Because if she couldn't even do that, how will she ever be able to save her….

'Chloe O' Bell' she would not forget the name.

"Aiz but your sword!"

Aiz suddenly halted her movements as the words sank in. She remembered-her sword-it was turned into mere dust.

Again, how the opponent did it to an unbreakable sword was a complete mystery.

"D-Don't worry Aiz! I have asked Goibniu familias god to whip up the exact same sword with the same properties. For the meantime you could go to their familia to pick up a rapier. He said he will let you use it until the sword is made." Loki tried to comfort Aiz as she saw the girl looking completely down.

"Thank you." Saying those words in a small voice Aiz went out.

"Bete go with her. I don't want her doing anything reckless."

"All right." The werewolf accepted without any complains.

As Bete too went out behind her Finn stated something obvious.

"We would have to be in a big debt wouldn't we?"

It was right. Paying 500 million valis to the Hestia familia was in itself a big sum and to add on it the amount that Aiz's new sword would cause, would no doubt bring them under debt.

But not as if they couldn't pay it with some time.

They would have to make many dungeon trips to pay off their debt. Coming days for The Loki Familia would be hard indeed only until they pay off the debt, that is.

* * *

The duel was over yesterday and Chloe came out victorious. We had a small party yesterday night for celebration. We even got 500 million valis as a winning prize and thinking about it I don't remember there was a prize on winning the duel. When I asked Hestia, she just grinned and said 'trickster got tricked'. What does that even mean? Well, who even cares!

Now I think the gods will not make a move soon so I will enjoy my dungeon expeditions instead of playing 'politics' with them.

Seriously when will politics ever leave me. As a king of a nation I already play enough politics with other nations but even here it doesn't leave me.

I can't just let Hestia do it as I fear the familia will get destroyed if I leave it to her. She is really easy to trick.

Yesterday after the celebration I tried to give Chloe the captainship of the familia seeing the right opportunity but as you can guess I got rejected very badly.

I also want to let myself loose sometimes but always had to act professional.

Well I guess it's a child's dream.

So as I predicted here it is, again some more paperwork. As a newly created and a strong familia there is a heck lots of work to do.

And as I am the captain I need to deal with it. _Dammit is this even a vacation?_

There are even some applications to join our familia but I don't think we want new members now. This many members are already enough. I will think more about it in the future.

There are even some companies aside from the guild that give quests to big familias so there were some quests of those companies too.

Talk about 'how The Destroyer destroyed an entire floor' and especially Chloe's ability was spreading through the city fast. As I thought the gods didn't take time to reveal about the ability. There was a fatal flaw that I missed when I decided to reveal her skill and that was gaining more attention.

Now more than ever everybody's focus was on us. Hestia even said that some gods will stop at nothing to acquire Chloe after seeing her skill. But of course they will not try a direct confrontation with us. Whoever would do that would be considered a complete moron in everyone's eyes.

Diablo took the position of the vice-captain and I think nobody is really more capable than him for this post. He even helps me with the work.

Milim, Veldora and Ramiris are out of question. Speaking of Veldora, he was in the dungeon for the whole day yesterday and he still hadn't come back. I am not worrying about him that much though, I know even as we speak he must be on a rampage inside the dungeon.

He said he didn't have interest in the duel. He was like 'Someone who can seal the majestic me will not lose' and he still didn't forget to mention that he only got sealed because he was half trying. Seriously he can't accept defeat.

Oh! I forgot about him.

"Hey Diablo! Where is that Bell guy." I asked to Diablo who was standing beside me in my office.

_Seriously you can sit down man! No need to be so formal. _

"As Rimuru-sama has ordered he has been training his skills before going to the dungeon." He answered with a smile.

_I totally forgot about that guy with all the recent skirmish going on._

"Can you call him." I requested to him and he accepted with a nod.

After some time Diablo was accompanied by a white haired boy with a tense look on his face. He looked kind of exhausted too.

"So Bell, have you been training good." I asked him with a smile.

"Y-Yes, I was training for these entire days and I also acquired quite good knowledge on dungeon from Miss Eina." He replied back to me.

_It seems he had been training well. He didn't even see the duel. So should I send him to the dungeon? I should test him first, don't want him dying._

"All right! Let's test you, if you pass you go to the dungeon and if you fail then it will have to be delayed." I got up from my seat, clapped my both hands and announced so.

"W-W-What will the test be captain." He asked being more tense then before.

"It's easy. Spar me!"

"EH."

* * *

Now we didn't have any garden or anything for training grounds so we just went beside our home which is mostly abandoned.

I decided for this course for 2 reasons.

First, I wanted to test his abilities to confirm if he can survive at least at the first 5 floors.

Second, I really wanted a break from all that damn work.

It is a perfect excuse to sneak out for some fresh air in the name of sparing. Of course my reasoning is mostly inclined towards the first reason. So don't go judging me on the second reason. This is work as a captain too to ensure the lives of fellow familia members.

As we reached our destination, we both took our weapons.

Bell had a wooden knife and I had a wooden sword. Diablo will be acting as referee.

As soon as the match started, he dashed at me with the knife. He was especially fast for a level 1.

I easily dodged his knife while my sword headed for his stomach.

"Gwah…" He got hit pretty hard in his stomach but to my surprise pushed forward enduring the pain. I had to admit he has got endurance and agility.

We started exchanging blows one after another, our speed getting faster with each attack.

_He is especially faster for level 1, he should be okay with this speed alone on the first floors._

So confirming that I decided to let him win to boost his morale more.

I suddenly made my movements more slow and he instantly brought his knife in front of my neck.

"Wow…. It seems you are strong enough." I said raising both of my arms up in defeat.

"Winner of the match…Bell." Diablo knew I purposely lost to boost his morale more but he was nonetheless little upset about it.

"C-Captain, I seriously won." He asked excitedly with shaking hands.

"Yeah, you are more than ready for the first um…5 floors. But don't get too confident, I was holding back against you."

"Y-Yes. I will not get too confident."

It wasn't much deep but he was still a newbie so it is good enough for now. I also warned him to not get overconfident.

Defeating me boosted his morale as I predicted so he should be fine. But as I was thinking so….

"Oho isn't it the all so famous Hestia familia." Some very disgusting looking men were coming at us as one of them spoke with a grin.

This was an abandoned place so I guess it's like a home for some thieves.

"Why don't you hand over some money you earned from the Loki Familia. 500 million valis is a little much don't you think." The same man spoke again.

_Ah shit! Even if gods and some adventurers stay away because of the duel, its not like some thieves would understand that._

Diablo looked like he was going to kill them instantly so I had to chip in before that happens.

"I don't think I want to."

I suddenly vanished from where I was standing and hit all five of the thieves with the same wooden sword in a matter of seconds.

They were down with showing no signs of moving.

_That takes care of it._ As I thought that I saw behind Diablo looking all proud as he expected it while Bell was standing there with a pale face just staring at what happened.

He didn't see what happened, when did she even move, it was over in a matter of seconds before his eyes. The match he had just now, even if the captain said she was holding back it was too big of a power difference.

_Aaaah No!no!no!no! Shit….I just shattered whatever confidence I built in him._

"Um…. Let's go home for now, Bell you have to get ready to go to the dungeon right." I decided to change the topic fast.

"Y-Y-Yes! He suddenly came out of his world and replied.

I was going to send him alone but I guess I will send someone with him for now. He looks really down and I don't want him dying in his first trip to the dungeon.

Instead of boosting his morale I lowered it instead.

* * *

It has been two hours since the match and Bell was walking towards the dungeon. Ever since the match he has been thinking…thinking of how weak he is. Ever since joining the familia he realized how naïve his dream was. The stories he heard, it seemed so easy to become a hero.

Ever since joining the familia he trained, he trained with the other members of his familia and he was ready for his first trip to the dungeon but his match with the captain just showed him again how weak and incompetent he was.

How much time will it take for him to even be on the same level as his familia? He wanted to be as strong as them, so he wouldn't hold them back and why wouldn't he think so.

He was the only level 1 in the entire familia. In other words the weakest.

"….ell?"

"Bell? Bell!"

"Yes?!" Bell replied to the voice coming out of the train of thoughts inside his mind.

The voice belonged to a girl whom if ignored some of her childish features would be considered a very cute one. This girl was a member of his own familia and a level 6 one at that. The captain has sent this girl with him for his first trip to the dungeon. While Bell was training for the past few days he did hear this girl before him have been in a duel recently and came out victorious but the opponent he didn't know.

This girl's name was Chloe and she was looking right at Bell with a confused expression.

"Are you all right." She asked with a confused face.

"Y-Yeah. I was just lost in thought."

"Is that so? You could not do that when you are in the dungeon fighting or it will be very bad."

"Y-yes."

They were walking towards the dungeon and Bell coming out of his thoughts couldn't miss the envious gazes he was getting from some adventurers who were nearby.

He could also listen some low voices

"That is the girl who defeated the sword princess."

"Really."

"That same time rewinding girl."

Chloe noticed this too but was turning a blind eye to it. She was not too fond of fame but it was inevitable at this point now. She was basically considered the best swordswomen in the city now after defeating the best.

And of course, it was the reason why Bell was getting envious gazes as he was walking with such a high leveled adventurer. Considering she was a beautiful girl was just adding more reasons to their envy.

Walking in such an uncomfortable situation they finally reached the Tower of Babel.

Entering the dungeon, both descended from the stairs leading to the first floor. It was the floor Chloe didn't remember very well as the monsters were very weak for her standards. When Chloe with her party first came to the dungeon they didn't stay on this floor too long.

She didn't let that thought bother her now as she is just here to save Bell if he is in any grave danger.

As they walked, they saw some cracks appearing in the nearby wall and several Kobold and Goblins appearing from it. As soon as the monsters saw Bell and Chloe, they started approaching them.

"W-What do we do Miss Chloe?!" Bell started panicking and asked Chloe.

"You just kill them. Remember how you trained these past days and use that knowledge to evade their attacks and kill them. I will just save you if I think you are going to die, that's all." Chloe replied with a straight face. She had no intention of letting him die but she also didn't have any intention to help him either.

"A-All right. I will do it." Bell was first taken aback by the flat reply but he immediately pulled himself together. He has resolved himself to get stronger, like his familia, if he can't then he will just keep holding back his familia.

He immediately dashed out to the hordes of incoming Kobolds and Goblins with his knife. He easily stabbed the Kobold and moved on to the next one. His speed was way faster than a normal level 1 adventurer's. After just few minutes he killed every Kobolds and Goblins which had appeared.

"See! Show more confidence in yourself. You have become way stronger in these past few days." Even though Chloe said that, he still left an opening at one point and a goblin would have landed a blow on his back if Chloe didn't respond fast. Bell was too busy to have noticed it though and Chloe didn't point it out as she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Y-Yes I did it! I did it!" Bell was looking toward his hands which were stained with blood. He killed his first monsters in the dungeon. It was a big moment for him but it was cut short.

"Hey! Let's go, we have to go ahead." Chloe started to walk in the direction which was clearly the second floor.

After few hours, Bell and Chloe was on the fifth floor. While coming here most of the monsters were killed by Bell including more goblins and kobolds and Dungeon Lizards. Some monsters were unfortunate enough to directly run towards Chloe but were taken care of appropriately.

"Bell! This would be the last floor for today."

"Yes! Miss Chloe."

From the 5th floor the monster spawned faster and stronger so Bell only decided to come here because a level 6 adventurer Chloe was with him.

A swarm of Killer ants who started spawning from the fifth floor started approaching them.

"Bell! Be careful with them, they are lot stro-"Chloe couldn't finish her sentence as the entire dungeon started shaking causing Bell to lose his balance leaving him confused.

Even though Bell was left confused as can be said for the other adventurers who were on various floors but same cannot be said for Chloe. She felt a very familiar feeling of power. She wasn't too fond of bad mouthing people but she could only think of one thing.

_That damn lizard._

Even though Rimuru has said to use only some fraction of their powers, that guy was obviously going on a wholehearted rampage, that same guy which she had sealed years ago.

"Veldora." She mumbled quietly. There was no doubt about it, she would recognize that magic power anywhere, the same dense energy. He was too keen on making more trouble again.

"Bell get back to the surface, I will return soon." Chloe immediately gave the order.

"But Miss Chl-"

"NOW"

"Y-yes."

Chloe vanished in an blink of an eye slashing the hordes of killer ants in her path taking the left path of the two paths in front of them.

_When did she even withdrew her sword?_ Bell stood there mouth agape with many questions on his mind seeing the magic stones scattered before his eyes. But he decided to do what he was told and decided to return to the surface.

As soon as he decided to run

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

A huge roar could be heard from the right side of the path exactly opposite to where Chloe had gone.

Bell froze in his tracks and glanced towards the approaching shadow.

**Hey now! Now you know which incident is coming but I have decided to change it a bit. Not too much…..just a little. A LITTLE. VERY LITTLE.**

**Next chapter will be out fairly soon unlike this one.**

**BYE!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- First adventure in the Dungeon. (PART TWO)**

**Hello there! I intended to release this chapter on the previous Sunday (26****th****) but due to some circumstances cannot do it. Sorry! Seriously I got this chapter planned out from the day I released the last chapter. Well, again sorry and let's start.**

There was a catastrophe moving in the dungeon from two days obliterating every monster in its path. He passed from floor after floor killing every monster in his path, even the other adventurers who saw him on this rampage were out of words at this display of power.

There was one question in their mind though,

DOESN'T HE FEEL PAIN!

Their felling was justified because he was bleeding. His fists were stained in blood, not monster blood but his own. He continued to kill every monster even with his wounded fists as if he didn't even notice his fists were injured.

Even when he passed the first ten floor his response was just "Too weak".

And after two days of continuous fighting he was here, on the 20th floor. He would have been even lower had he not slacked off on the 18th floor.

He was living the best moments of his life right now as can be seen from the delightful grin on his face, and of course this battle maniac for none other than Veldora, the one known as Storm Dragon.

He had been waiting for this moment, to rampage about to his heart's content. It felt so good to let loose after so long, now it's not like he hadn't fought after The Great War ended, he fought in their labyrinth so many times after the war but those all were sparring matches with the Floor Guardians, they couldn't be called real battles for someone such as Veldora. That's why here, in this Dungeon where you kill or be killed is the real playground for Veldora.

There was only one inconvenience and that was his human body. Rimuru has granted everyone who came here with a human body and strictly warned them to only use their real bodies when they are in the Dungeon but Veldora because of overconfidence came in the dungeon with the same human body he was granted.

It directly couldn't be called overconfidence as he wanted to ask for his real body but seeing Rimuru was busy with the duel thing, he refrained from it as he would get scolded.

Everyone have to ask Rimuru if they wanted their real bodies back as everyone's real bodies were stored in Rimuru's **[Imaginary Space]** and can only be obtained back by asking Rimuru.

It was not like they will get killed if their human body is destroyed because their soul will just return to their real body which is inside Rimuru, thinking this Veldora went into the Dungeon with just his human body and the result was this situation he was in.

His hands were all bloody with his own blood as he was only fighting with his fists. A normal human body cannot withstand the mighty power of a True Dragon. Even if it was a body of a level 6 adventurer it cannot withstand Veldora's power, for that reason he was only limiting his power to an extent to which this body can withstand but even with that it is still a human body and fighting for 2 days straight puts its strain on it. As a result, due to constant fighting his fists are wounded.

He was feeling pain but it was just like an ant stinging to him, so just on this note he continued just because the pain was so less. He thought his body would withstand as long as he didn't face any abnormally strong opponent.

It was a mistake. It was a mistake just because it was Veldora who calculated the amount of pain. If it was another level 6 adventurer he wouldn't be even able to move his hands, that was the condition of Veldora's fists at the moment but he continued.

As he was finished with the 20th floor he decided to go to the 21th floor and as he entered he was instantly greeted by a view of fallen adventurers. It was a party of eight each on the ground bleeding continuously because of their wounds. Six out of them were even missing a leg or a hand and said arm or leg could be seen on the ground next to them. In whichever condition they were in they were still alive…..somehow.

The most disturbing thing was that it wasn't done by a monster rather by some people, each wearing a mask and one women giving them orders.

Veldora had a relaxed expression even after seeing this, he didn't have any sympathy for the fallen adventurers and why would he? From where he came from it is 'the survival of the fittest' and those who were on the ground weren't strong enough but it was the thought of the previous Veldora.

Veldora, after living with Rimuru have changed drastically in power and in personality so he won't let them die and besides there was another thought going inside his mind,

_This is just the best opportunity! I just arrived at the perfect time, finally its my time to shine. I arrived at the perfect time when a hero arrives in the manga, finally everyone will regard me as The Hero Veldora Ghahahaha!_

This thought can be said the ninety percent of the reason he decided to save them.

"Revis-sama we have to transport them fast before anyone com-" One masked men who was talking to the women named Revis was cut short by a loud voice.

"Wait right there! You can't continue your evil deeds as I Strom Dr-no, The Hero Veldora has arrived. GWHAHAHAHA." A muscular man with a tanned body arrived with a very loud voice followed by a heavy laughter.

Veldora arrived with the most heroic line he could muster while giving a heroic pose. With this he was the perfect hero, at least that was Veldora's thought.

The ones seeing him didn't have the same opinion. What they could see was a man whose hands were in no condition to fight and continuously bleeding. Surprisingly he didn't have any wound on his body but by seeing his fist's condition alone one could say that every bone in his hand was on the verge of breaking at any time. The ones seeing him could only guess that he had a death wish to confront them in this state.

"Take care of the fool fast so we could get going." The women ordered with a harsh tone.

Seeing this Veldora was in his own thought,

_Why aren't they afraid?! They should be cowering in fear that I arrived and yet wha- _Then Veldora realized the condition of his hands but that realization made him all the more happy.

_Gwahahaha! If they are judging me by my broken hands then I will show them the real power of a hero! The Hero Veldora! _

Veldora easily deflected the attack of the coming masked man while hitting him in the gut with his already wounded hand without showing any kind of pain….well, that was not true, he immediately hid his hand behind his back with a panicked expression.

Revis while seeing this was more than shocked as the man on the ground was level 4 in terms of strength and despite that got knocked out with just one hit from the man in front of them. In that instant she reassessed the threat level of this man.

"Gwa-hahahaha! What a weakling! Now who is next?!" Veldora said while moving forward at his enemies while still hiding his hands behind his back.

"You all see those fallen adventurers. I will deal with him." Revis gave the order to the masked men and moved forward to intercept Veldora.

Veldora seeing the redhead women coming to him concentrated all his attention to her. Revis with a long sword attacked with an overhead slash which Veldora skillfully evaded by tilting to the left side while responding with a kick.

His leg, rather than landing on her chest was blocked by her sword but the force behind the kick sent her backwards creating some distance between the two.

"You are quite strong but not strong enough." Revis commended Veldora on his strength but she assessed that he was not that strong as to defeat her.

"Gwahahaha you might have to recheck that."

_Crack_

As soon as Veldora said that Revis's long sword gave a sound of 'crack' and broke into two pieces.

"Wha-" Revis was quite shocked by seeing this as the sword's quality can undoubtedly be said to be of a first class weapon and yet Veldora's one kick was able to break the sword in two.

But Revis's shocked expression immediately vanished as she realized something,

_He is not using his hands._

Veldora's hands as can be seen were more than wounded and he has only used his legs during the fight, seeing this Revis came to a conclusion that he couldn't use hands. It was not like she only depended on her sword for fighting.

She threw her broken sword on the ground while taking a combat posture. She just didn't depend on sword skill but also was a good hand to hand fighter.

Seeing this Veldora could only think of one thing,

_Oh shit!_

He thought he had been hiding it well but she figured it out. When he punched the masked guy on that moment most of the bones in his hand broke rendering his hands immobile. He was still not tired in the least but as the bones broke his hands refused to listen his command. He thought as the pain was so less his body would still work but it didn't. He should have returned to the surface when his hands started bleeding, and now he was cursing his own foolishness. And so he only used his legs while fighting this women but now she figured it out.

He couldn't use any of his magic because if he did the fallen adventurers would certainly be caught in the crossfire and die and that was the result he certainly didn't want.

As his opponent has figured it out she was moving in his direction and he was sure he couldn't just handle her with just his legs. He racked his brains for what to do and he could only get to one solution.

To call his real body back.

Anybody who wanted their body back would have to consult Rimuru first but Veldora was different, he can consult someone else, this someone has always helped him with these matters. Without any further thought he contacted that being.

"_Hey! Can you please give me my real body."_

_(No)_

As soon as he asked to the being his request was immediately rejected with a cold voice.

"_P-Please don't joke around. I am in a tough spot here."_

_(Master has allowed to take your original bodies in the dungeon but you didn't, giving you your body now would arise some consequences.)_

"_H-H-Hey I am sorry okay! Please I will die here."_

_(Negative. If you die in that body your consciousness will immediately return to you original body so there is no problem.)_

Hearing this Veldora started sweating. This being never listens to him after she got her own self of being. Veldora always preferred her to be the skill she was before which helped him when he was in a tough spot. He was talking to Rimuru's skill or rather the other being inside Rimuru, Ciel.

"_Hey! If I leave those adventurers be like that, they will undoubtedly die. That's not what Rimuru would have wanted Right!"_

_(…..)_

Seeing this conversation wasn't going anywhere Veldora decided to hit at the spot where it hurts. Even how cold Ciel is she will without doubt put her master's wishes first and knowing that there is no way Rimuru would have let them die she started thinking. And as if a miracle, Veldora got his wish.

_(All right. But in future you have to repay this debt.)_

"_Y-Yes! Of course, I declare on the name of Strom Dragon Veldora that I will repay this generosity."_

Veldora didn't know and he didn't care what debt he had to repay as long as he got his body, so he replied without hesitation.

This conversation got over in seconds due to **[Thought Acceleration] **and as soon as it did dark aura started surrounding Veldora's body rendering anyone unable to see what was happening. Veldora's human body immediately turned into dust particles as a crack in the space opened up from which came the exact copy of a man who was previously there.

There was a difference though, because this was the original body of the Storm Dragon Veldora. Immediately as he came, he released his full aura without any restrictions without realizing the consequence of it.

It was only for seconds but that seconds were enough to shake the entire 20 floors of the dungeon by being exposed to his enormous aura.

"GWAHAHAHAHA! I have arrived, now then wo…men…..come at…me…..huh?" He started with a heavy laughter and a loud voice but his voice started quieting down after each word and by looking at what he has caused.

The masked men were all down showing no signs of even moving a finger, they were all dead. The women who he was facing was on the ground out cold but surprisingly she was still alive.

(Idiot. Who told you to release your aura?! If I wouldn't have protected the adventurers with a barrier, they would all have died as well.)

_Shit! _Veldora totally forgot about it, he released his full aura just out of reflex and this happened.

As if to make matters worse,

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?!" Chloe came at the exact moment.

She left Bell immediately after she sensed Veldora's aura. After getting out of Bell's sight she tapped on to Veldora's aura and instantly teleported herself to where he was. It would have taken her quite a lot of time if she would have decided to travel by foot so she choose this method.

As to why she didn't decide to teleport right in front of Bell because she knew Bell was not good at hiding things and if she would have teleported in front of him it would inevitably be known to public through Bell and that would have caused her popularity to rise more in turn giving her more problems.

But now she was standing in front of the one who caused her to go through that much trouble and she was angry, really angry.

Veldora could also sense her anger and decided to make excuses,

"Oh, I was just saving the adventurers from evil people and….and…." Veldora pointed at where the evil people were only to find that except the adventurers no one was there.

"Where did they go?" The killed people and also the women were all gone .

"Oh, if you are talking about those who were lying there, as soon as I called out to you, some more people came and took them away." Chloe answered Veldora's question.

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"First answer me who told you to release your full aura."

"It was just…..just…"

(It seems I need to attend to some different matter now.)

He was going to just ask Ciel for a right answer but before he could she decided to leave.

_H-Hey! T-Traitor! How dare you leave me in this spot._

(I am not to blame here. I already told you it could cause some consequences yet you decided to comply with it and I need to attend to another consequence which _**your**_ actions caused.)

She refuted back with a cold answer while giving certain pressure on the word 'your'.

_Which consequence can be more severe than this one?_ He was left with this question as Ciel left him to his own fate and with a scary Chloe.

* * *

If he didn't know the real meaning of fear and powerlessness he was knowing it now. Bell Cranell had had only one thought in his mind,

HE IS GOING TO DIE!

As soon as Chloe left him he was chased by a minotaur. He couldn't understand how it came on the upper floors as it was said to be the monster spawned in the deeper floors but yet it was chasing him.

As if that was not enough, he was now cornered nowhere to run. Death was mocking at him that 'you can't escape'.

Is this how his story ends? His first adventure in the dungeon ends in his death? His dream of catching up to his familia for which he trained and now when he finally came into the dungeon, he is going to be killed like this, in this pathetic state, cornered.

There was also some sense of relief in his heart that if he dies he will not hold back his familia but there was also some anger, he was angry at himself was being this weak to be cornered.

No! He can't die like this, he wants to be stronger, become like his fellow members, become a hero.

But who is he kidding? He is a level 1, he can't just take on a level 2 minotaur by himself.

As if the feeling of powerlessness he had when he joined a familia of so many level 6 adventurers was not enough, he was feeling it now, the worst feeling of powerlessness.

He didn't want to die, that thought was repeating in his heart repeatedly and as if to answer his call,

(Do you want power.)

He heard a voice in his head out of nowhere, he tried to see where it came from but there was just the minotaur standing and no one else.

"_Who are you?"_

_(That is not your concern. But do you want power to overcome this situation.)_

He didn't know what this voice was but if it can take him out of this situation than anything is okay.

"_Yes"_

_(Understood)_

As soon as that voice resounded his own consciousness drifted into darkness.

There stood Bell still in front of the minotaur but something was out of place. The feared expression on his face was returned to normal. Not even a single expression can be seen on his face. His usual red eyes had something more to it though, his eyes were calculating the best course to kill his enemy. Thousands of calculations in seconds were being carried out but seeing from his expression it couldn't be said to be Bell's doing…because it was not.

It was Ciel. As to how she was able to take control of Bell or even talk to him was because they were in the same familia. It was relatively easy for her, Rimuru already had a Soul Corridor with his subordinates but as in the case of Bell, she was able to from something akin to a soul corridor with him by tampering with the falna they received.

As to why she was able to take control of his body was because he was really weak. If she would have tried to take control of someone as powerful as Veldora or Milim, even she wouldn't be able to do it.

A small smile could be seen on Bell's lips or rather her lips as to why, because she was planning for this outcome from the beginning.

Even when Veldora left to go in the dungeon, she already noticed that he was going with a human body but didn't stop him and she derived from calculation that with Veldora's power that body will only be able to survive for two days and it was not hard for her to know that her master will concentrate on development of Bell after the Duel. She had been with her master for so long and can exactly predict what action he takes at what moment.

She also knew Veldora way too well and deduced that he will release his aura and Chloe will leave Bell for that reason. Bell being cornered by a minotaur was not predicted though, but even this miscalculation worked out well as his feeling of powerlessness made him easy to control and birthed something more in him.

She didn't want to let Bell face a minotaur of level 2 but because of miscalculation the result was this. There was no way Bell a level 1 would be able to face a level 2 therefore she decided to take action.

She deduced this plan just to make Bell stronger, not that she had any personal intention to do so but just because he was good towards her master and was the member of the same familia.

With the smile on her face faded she moved towards the minotaur faster than the speed of a level 1 adventurer and stabbed the minotaur on its neck with full force ripping apart its neck which resulted in scattering of blood all over Bell's body.

Now that she had taken care of the miscalculation and at the same time birthed a seed for a new skill she immediately left Bell's body.

Bell's consciousness returned as soon as Ciel left him just to find blood all over him and a magic stone in front of him.

Now, out of reflex of seeing blood scattered all over his body he immediately started to run while screaming while not knowing what happened in this place.

Two adventurers arrived at the exact same time seeing the boy run away. One of the adventurer, a women picked up the magic stone left behind by the boy.

This women was a level 6 adventurer, The sword princess Aiz Wallenstein. She had been killing monsters on the 15th floor when the entire dungeon shook confusing her and in that moment of confusion, the minotaur, who was just killed escaped from that floor. She had been chasing that minotaur to end up here on the 5th floor.

_Did he kill that minotaur?_

That boy indeed was covered in blood indicating that he killed the monster but that doesn't explain why he ran away. There was also a point that it was the 5th floor where mostly level 1 adventurers fought.

Whatever the case was, she had to apologize to the boy for the trouble and maybe if she asked him what happened, he will clear her doubts about what happened.

* * *

**5 hours later.**

"EEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH!" A loud shriek resounded in The Hestia Familia's Home. It was their goddess herself who was responsible for the loud noise because she was just seeing something crazy.

She was looking at her Familia's only level 1 adventurer's status and that was what made her shocked. It went something like this,

**Name- Bell Cranell **

**Affiliation- Hestia Familia**

**Race- Human**

**Level- 1**

**Strength- A769**

**Endurance- A699**

**Dexterity- B563**

**Agility- S998**

**Magic- None**

**Skills- ** **Liaris Freese**

**Continues desire results in continues growth**

**Stronger desire results in stronger growth**

**Predictor**

**Exact calculation predicts the future movements of the opponents.**

**High speed decision making.**

I was standing beside Hestia seeing the results myself and I too was shocked. No level 1 adventurer would grow this much just on their first trip to the dungeon. This is just unbelievable.

"R-Rimu-chan t-this skill 'Predictor' it says that Bell-kun can predict the future movements of opponents, is it the same as Chloe's ability." Hestia asked me a very stupid question.

"Of course not dummy, his future attack prediction depends on calculations while hers skills directly affects time for the same purpose." I explained to Hestia who was confusing Bell's new skill with Chloe's. The difference in their skill is like heaven and earth and still she doesn't understands.

"B-But even so, with this skill he will be able to predict others attack, wouldn't it like make him invincible." She was again getting the wrong idea.

"You are not quite right. Yes, he will be able to predict their attacks but only if his calculation is 'exact' if he even make a single mistake in it then his prediction will go wrong. Or if you throw him in a fight with a level 5 or 6 adventurer, no matter what tactic he uses or how many attack he predicts, the opponent will just be able to take him out with brute force." No matter how you look at it, this skill still had flaws but it nonetheless is a great skill.

"A-And t-this 'Liaris Freese' it says that he will grow strong as long as there is desire to grow stronger. Isn't it absurd." She again exclaimed but this time about his other skill.

"Yeah, it is absurd." But this time I couldn't say a thing. This skill was absurd as Hestia says but what was his desire? I didn't know so I decided to ask the person in question.

"So Bell why do you desire to get stronger?" I asked Bell who was looking at us sitting on the bed.

"W-Well, because I want to catch up to you all, I am the only level 1 in this familia and if I don't get stronger I will just hold you all back." He replied a little embarrassed.

_Oh, I see. He thinks of himself as the weakest link in our familia so that has been weighing heavily on him so he wants to get strong. I should have been more considerate of his feelings._

But even as this considered, that still doesn't explain this level of growth in one day.

Chloe did explain to me she had to leave Bell alone because of Veldora and Bell said he didn't remember anything after one minotaur chased him. I did scold Veldora for his recklessness until he started crying. Veldora did wanted to say something though, but it seemed like something was keeping him from doing that.

But isn't it too much to have been a coincidence for this much to happen?

Suddenly something clicked in my mind, the base for Bell's skill 'calculation'. Things started making sense now. I walked away to my office leaving Hestia and Bell to have a chat with the person who I thought was pulling the strings.

* * *

I sat on my office chair and started my conversation.

"_So how are you Ciel?"_

_(I am doing pretty good master. I think the weather is good as well.)_

"_Oh yeah, it is. Moving on, don't you think Bell's skill 'Predictor' has many things to do with 'calculations', I wonder whose strong point it is?"_

_(Yes master, I wonder about that too.)_

"_DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME! I KNOW IT WAS YOU!"_

I lost my temper and shouted inside my own mind. It all makes sense now, I was already thinking that Veldora releasing his aura and Chloe running off after him while leaving Bell alone couldn't be a coincidence. And when the word 'calculations' stood out I became certain of it. It was her.

"_Do you have something to say for yourself?"_

_('Ahem' 'Ahem' 'Cough' 'Cough')_

"_Don't you dare try to shrug it of. You put Bell's life in danger."_

_(Negative. I saved his life instead.)_

"_OH, so you accept it was your plan."_

_(….)_

"_Don't you stay silent now. I want to know exactly what happened."_

After that I extracted every last bit of information out of her. How she created a plan to make Bell strong and the minotaur ruined her plan so she herself had to posses his body and fight it.

_(But the miscalculation turned out to be a good thing as the feeling of powerlessness at that moment in Bell and his desire to catch up to his familia birthed his skill 'Liaris Freese')_

"_But how were you able to reach out to him, as far as I know we don't have a soul corridor with him?"_

_(It was easy. As master and Bell Cranell are in the same familia and are blessed by the same god, I was able to use that connection to form something akin to a soul corridor with him….. Just had to tamper with the falna system a little.)_

"_H-Hey! Wouldn't Hestia understand if you tamper with the falna."_

_(I covered my tracks very well master. She will not understand.)_

"_A-All right but what about his other skill 'Predictor' and why does it have 'calculations' as its base which is your specialty?"_

_(As for the skill 'Predictor', even if he doesn't remember anything, his body still experienced the events when I was in his body and was able to accumulate that total experience in the form of the skill 'Predictor' and therefore that skill has 'calculations' as its base.)_

"_O-Okay I understand but what about his all status reaching A?"_

_(Oh! That was a mixed outcome of the skill 'Predictor' and I also changed some mechanisms in his body as to make him more agile and-)_

"_Wait right there! How can you change body mechanisms of others people without even asking the person! Don't you have any shame. Won't he have body problems in the future."_

Ciel was saying something outrageous again. I mean, changing body mechanisms to make him stronger, I know her intentions were good but isn't it like doing illegal operations.

_(First of all master I would like to point out that I am quite hurt that you are being so rude to me and no, he wouldn't have any problems as I have just made him a little strong.)_

"All right, sorry. Just let me ask you one more question, why are you making Bell stronger?"

_(That is a very simple answer. As master and everyone will go home after clearing the dungeon, this familia will have some problems and so I am just creating a reliable captain for the future after we leave.)_

_Oh, I see. She was thinking that far ahead. We will indeed leave this world after our goal is complete so she was just thinking for the future. But Bell, the captain, isn't he too timid to become a captain? Well I guess I will just have to focus more on his development from now on._

But how the minotaur ended up on the 5th floor? Well, who cares anyway. Thinking that I ended my conversation with Ciel and got back to my work.

I was also feeling bad for Veldora who just got caught up in Ciel's scheme, I think I will treat him to some lunch as an apology.

**And here it ends! I know I changed many things from the original and it wouldn't be called a fanfic if I didn't change anything. Sorry for people who were looking forward to Aiz and Bell's meeting. It will happen in the future. I know it was a little complicated with all the technical stuff, at least for me.**

**Plz leave a review about how the chapter was? **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Abnormality in the Dungeon**

There is an organization in Orario which registered adventurers, give them advice about the dungeon, manage other familias and most importantly keep the threat of the dungeon at bay, in short it was known as The Guild.

The Guild was built to minimize the causalities caused in the dungeon, give proper equipment and advice to starters. The Guild also upholds the economy of Orario as it trades magic stones with money and provides adventurers a living. It can be said to be an indispensable organization for the city.

In the guild lies a room with just a single entity in it. This room is called The Room of Prayers and the entity who stood in it with eyes closed was one of the first god to descend in the mortal realm, The God of The Guild, Ouranos.

Ouranos suddenly opens his eyes with a panicked expression. He who have always sensed whenever there was danger from the dungeon wore a panicked expression and as to why?... because there was trouble.

"This is troublesome!" he sighed.

"What is? came a voice from the shadows behind him.

"The monsters are getting stronger."

The room fell into silence after that line. The silence lasted for a while before the man in the shadows broke it.

"What do you mean?" The man didn't understand the vague answer the God gave so he asked again to reconfirm.

"Two days ago, an abnormal power spread in the dungeon. It was like an enormous burst of energy, I don't know where it came from but it immediately started spreading to the upper floors and…"

The man nodded, urging the god to continue.

" The monsters started absorbing it, it somehow greatly enhanced the power of the magic stone within them in turn giving them more power."

"Is it like an evolution?" The man asked concerned.

"In a way." After a bit of silence, The man raised another question.

"How strong are we talking about?"

After hearing his question Ouranos expression turned more severe then it previously was and he answered.

"Depends on the amount of energy they absorbed, even a little amount will make them much more powerful but…..the real problem is ahead."

"What?"The man was running out of patience so he asked in a more loudly.

"If the monsters absorb a certain amount, I am afraid to say it can also result in a level up."

After this sentence, it was like the time itself stood still, not a single voice leaking from either of them.

"H-How are we going to deal with this? W-What if this results in a breach?! W-What if –" The man panicked but the god immediately reassured him.

"Calm down. The situation has not worsened that it cannot be handled. As I said, the power is mostly spreading in the upper floors, where low level monsters spawn. It can be handled by one high leveled familia if we act fast."

"H-High leveled familia! All right, should I contact the Loki familia or the Freya familia?!" The man asked the god hurriedly not wanting to waste a single moment more.

"No. Those two are always annoying to deal with." The god replied waving his hand.

"O-Ouranos-sama, please don't say that now. We don't have anyone beside th—"

"Hestia, you can come out if you are done sneaking on us." The god cut the man off mid sentence.

As soon as the god said that, a small figure started emerging from the entrance.

"Oopsie! I think I got caught." The small figure, or rather, Hestia said that while sticking out her tongue.

"I assume you heard all of that." Ouranos asked.

"I had no intention of hearing that, I just came here to get our first guild quest but….yeah, I did hear that." Hestia's cheerful face suddenly took a serious expression while she said that.

"Then, can I ask of you to take this role." It sounded like a question but it was more of an order.

"Hey! Hey! Don't order me around but….I can't overlook it either as I have now heard about it." She quickly caught on to the elderly god's ordering tone but now that she heard about the situation she couldn't just walk of like nothing happened.

"Think of this as your familia's first official guild request." The elderly god made a point which she couldn't possibly ignore.

"Y-you mean first official guild request?! If you say it like that then, I accept!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, that's good. Then, you can inform your familia about it and….more importantly just inform your familia, not a single person other than that." He explained like he was explaining to a child.

"Yes! Yes! Understood." Saying that, she ran off excitedly.

"O-Ouranos-sama do you think it was right to send them?" The man, who was silent through their entire conversation asked the elderly god with some amount of worry mixed in his voice.

"Do you doubt their abilities."

"I don't but….rumors could be just rumors. We don't want them dying." The man stated his reason for worrying.

"You still say that after witnessing that duel yourself."

The sentence silenced the man as he had nothing to say. He indeed witnessed the duel between the Sword princess and the girl from the Hestia Famalia and without a doubt her abilities even surpassed his level, he came to this conclusion after witnessing it.

"B-But even if she is strong, same couldn't be said for other members." The man made a fair point which instead put a small smile on the god's face.

"That, we will just have to see."

* * *

I was thinking about the events of yesterday while sitting in my room. There are many points to consider, as the people who attacked the group of adventurers. If there were shady people like that, then we need to be more careful. I don't think they will be of any threat as Veldora took care of them quite easily.

Still, what would have happened to the adventurers if Veldora hadn't shown up? Well….of course they would have died. Maybe I should thank him at least for that.

Now that I think about that, what happened to the adventurers after that? I hadn't asked Chloe or Veldora.

So…..I decided to do just that.

"So Chloe what happened to those adventurers after that?" I asked Chloe after I called her to my office.

"Um…what happened was…"

_**Flashback**_

Veldora was searching for the answers to give to Chloe when she noticed the fallen adventurers and made a terrifying conclusion.

"Did you do this to them." She asked with a cold voice.

"w-w-what are you saying. You know I wouldn't do that!" Veldora replied while panicking.

_Why does it only happen with me? Why do I always get perceived as a villain. I saved them DAMMIT. _He was also cursing his own fate.

"So who did that to them?"

"Didn't I say before, those men you let escape did this. I just saved them!" Veldora replied to her.

Chloe seemed to accept that answer as she didn't press any further. In truth she didn't think Veldora did that but she just wanted to punish him a little for putting her through so much trouble.

"p-p-please h-help t-them." Suddenly a low voice interrupted their conversation and turning to see who it was Chloe saw one of the adventurers they were talking about.

With deep cuts all over his body, he seemed just a few steps away from death's door.

Chloe quickly made her way towards him to heal him. As she leaned down towards him she could hear him muttering.

"p-pl…please…he-help them…first…..I a-am fine."

"No you are not. I will not let your companions die so don't worry." Immediately after those words she used one of her skill's abilities.

**[Reverse]**

Immediately as she said those words, the cuts all over his body slowly started to close themselves. It also did the effect of restoring him to his full strength.

As Chloe's skill mostly consists of time related abilities, she just reversed the time of the adventures body to a time where he never got those injuries in the first place. For Chloe it was just the basic healing technique she used everytime.

The adventurer who had no way of knowing this simply looked at himself in disbelief. But as if suddenly realizing something he immediately got on his feet and bowed in front of Chloe.

"P-please I am begging you, I know it is a selfish request but please heal my companions. Please, I will do anything you ask!"

"Alright! Alright! I was going to heal them anyways. Stand up now!" Chloe clearly was embarrassed at someone suddenly bowing towards her. She had every intention of healing all of them in the first place.

"Wha- R-really?!"

But for some reason the adventurer couldn't believe her. Well, the reason was obvious. Most adventurers who came in the dungeon were out of greed or in search of fame and it was not new for adventurers to ignore someone even if the person was dying. So the adventurer looked surprised at the declaration.

Ignoring the adventurer's surprised face, she made her way towards his companions. Even if she said she would heal them, she wasn't going to heal them with her skill rather she was going to use the full health potion Rimuru have her before coming to the dungeon.

She took out few blue colored objects from her small bag which was hanging on her waist and threw them at each adventurer.

As soon as it made contact with the body of the adventurers, it engulfed them in a blue light and healed whatever wound was ever present on their body including even whatever body part they lost.

And why would it not? It was obvious for Chloe because it was the full health potion made by her teacher. It could never fail! It was made by the person she respected the most! It was made by her lov-!...No, her thoughts were going into different directions at a wrong time.

While coming out of her never ending admiration of the person who made the potions, she looked at the adventurer she had healed before but could just see the expression of utter shock on the man's face.

"H-how?..w-wh-what did you do?!Th-their limbs grew back! How?."

Even if it was obvious for Chloe that this would happen, the same couldn't be said for the man. A potion that can regenerate severed body parts! He had never heard of one before. Worst case scenario, he had prepared himself that he will never be able to go on another adventure with his companions. Heck, he was grateful that they even survived. But seeing the impossible before him, he couldn't stop the tears welling in his eyes.

"Um…why are you crying?" Completely oblivious to his reasoning, Chloe asked the question. She couldn't help but think that it was because of her, that she did something wrong…well, it was because of her…in a way.

"Y-you healed them…even their limbs, I-I thought we wouldn't ever be able to go on another adventure together b-but now….." He said that while wiping some tears by his hands.

"Well, that's all right and all…but now can we get out of here now that they are healed." Not interested in his melodramatic reply she simply cut to the chase.

"Y-yes of course." He immediately went to check on his friends who all regained consciousness just between their exchange. After the adventurer filled his friends up on the events, they all took on an expression of shock, those who lost their limbs gently creased their regrown parts with shaky fingers.

"Hey if you are done with your exchange, can we go?" Chloe who was worried about Bell who she left alone again said to them in an impatient tone.

"Y-yes, we are coming."

After hearing their reply she turned towards Veldora to tell him to return as well…but

"What are those fools thanking her for?! I saved them! Not even a word of gratitude for the one who saved them. How shameless! Yeah, definitely…Shameless indeed!"

He was already busy in bad mouthing the adventures.

"Hey Overgrown Lizard! You will come to." Chloe quickly brought him back from his world but again….

"Who do you think you are calling an overgrown lizard and what? You need me to come as well! I will not listen to someone who just stole all my glory."

He suddenly started to get cocky.

"Oh! WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN?" Chloe turned any icy cold glare at him and asked him again…..but this time in a more scary tone.

"O-oh, my dear familia member, d-did you m-misheard me? I just said I will be glad to come with you. Really!"

"Is that so, I thought I heard you say 'you won't come'."

"Y-you misheard that…Yeah! You definitely misheard that! You shouldn't mishear things as it could create BIG problems."

She swear he whispered "Big problems for me." in the end but she didn't press on it.

"W-we are ready Miss…um Miss Chloe." The adventurers were all ready so they called out to her.

"How do you know my name?" She didn't think she gave her name to them so she was curious as to how they knew her name.

"O-oh, that….we just saw your duel two days back and um….I-I am a big fan of yours Miss Chloe." A girl from the party replied to her question with great enthusiasm. There were basically stars in her eyes as she said those words.

"Oh, yeah that's um….good." She said that with a forced smile.

As they made their way out, she kept pondering about when people will forget about her 'cursed' duel.

As it turns out, she got the answer.

And the answer was 'NEVER'.

_**Flashback ends.**_

After contemplating her story for a while I asked a part I didn't understand.

"You said those adventurers looked surprised when you used the health potions, does that mean this world doesn't have them?"

"Haven't you heard Sensei? This world does have potions which can rejoin severed limbs but that only works if the severed part is present." Chloe explained to me.

_How would I know, when all I am doing is paperwork in this room all day._ I had that thought but didn't say it out loud.

"T-Then you should have rejoined their severed limbs with this world's potions. Why didn't you do that?"

"Um….there are many reasons, first is that I would have to return to the surface to buy them which would have consumed too much time, second is that the potions are very expensive, and third and the most important one is…"

"What?" She took an troubled expression as she began to speak.

"It is that their limbs corroded away when that Veldora released his full power which makes the above two reasons invalid"

_Couldn't you have said this to begin with?!_ I shouted in my mind so that no one could hear me.

"Sensei but why are you worried about using your potions?" Chloe asked me what was worrying me the most.

"As I just said, this world has never seen a full health potion before, wouldn't we be deemed more suspicious then we already are if word about them gets out." I was worried about it but to my surprise Chloe had a simple answer for that.

"Couldn't you just say it was one of your skills that makes the potions."

It was a pretty simple answer but an effective one. I can just say that it is one of my skills, which it truly is in a way. But I don't want to mass produce them here. Why? Wouldn't it destroy the businesses of other familias who make health potions. I don't think I can live comfortably while letting others suffer the loss.

If it was in my world, yeah, I would have mass produced them, which I have, without thinking about the loss of others. But this is not my world and I can't put others in loss for my own gain.

But that again raises the question of how? Inevitably, word will spread about them and people would want to buy them then…Oh yes! I got it! I don't know if this will work or not but it is worth giving a try.

_Knock Knock_

Suddenly a knock on a door brought me back out of my thoughts.

"Come in."

As I said those words the door creaked open and in came Diablo. From what I remember he was taking a stroll in the dungeon today, so why did he come back? By bowing down he said,

"Rimuru-sama I have returned and wanted to talk to you about something but first, it seems we have some visitors and they are demanding to see her." He said pointing at Chloe who was sitting ahead of me.

_Huh? They want to see Chloe? Who could that be?_ We started walking towards our unexpected visitors while I thought that.

As we made our way to through the hallway, we came in front of the main door where our visitors were.

As soon as the visitors came into view, I reflexively took a step back.

_What is this man doing here. _If I remember correctly, he was the one who set that duel up for Chloe, what was his name again? His name was Ganesha, I guess.

As if setting my worry to rest he himself announced himself proudly when he saw us.

"Hello there and I am Ganesha." He said that while striking various poses.

_Yup, he is the same dude. _But what is he doing here?

"Oh! You all…" Chloe remembered the people who were standing beside the god. I didn't think I knew them so I asked her in a low voice.

"Do you know those people?"

"Yes. They are the ones I saved back then." She instantly replied to me.

From the looks of it, the adventurers Chloe saved were Ganesha familia members. As soon as they saw Chloe, they quickly walked up to her.

"Miss Chloe!" Especially one girl out of the group was too excited that she clung to Chloe while shouting out her name.

"Um….Hey it's nice to see you but can you please release me!" Chloe uncomfortably said that with a forced smile.

"I-I am so sorry! I-I was just too excited!" Clearly embarrassed about her little outburst, she said that with a red face.

"Oho! Chloe, it seems you already have a fan." Seeing the opportunity I said that in Chloe's ear in a joking manner.

"Ugh…that's…" She couldn't protest because it was true.

_I am going to tease her with this for a long time. _I quickly made a note in my mind to do this before turning to Ganesha, who was walking towards me.

"Hello! I think you are the captain of Hestia's familia, aren't you?"

"Yes I am."

As soon as I said that all adventurers surrounding Chloe straightened up. They likely thought how rude they have been acting in front of another familia's captain.

_I thought being a captain just means doing more and more paperwork but I guess it carries a certain amount of respect as well. _I couldn't stop thinking about my ultimate fate after taking the position of captain.

As I was thinking that, Ganesha asked me a question.

"So, where is Hestia? I want to thank her for in person. Her familia member saved my precious children, I would have been really sad if they would have died."

"The thing is, she isn't here now. She said something about going to the guild to get our first official guild quest."

"Oho! Is that so, then it can't be helped, I will thank you for saving my children. I really appreciate it." His usual attitude was changed and I could sense hint of heartfelt gratitude in his voice.

"Shouldn't you thank Chloe, she saved them not me." I didn't do anything, so it was weird being thanked for nothing.

"Oh yes! I thank you too for saving them." Ganesha turned towards Chloe and said that bowing down.

"T-That's alright! It was really nothing." Chloe failed her arms around trying to stop him from bowing.

A god, throwing his dignity away and bowing down before a mortal itself shows how greatly he cares about his familia members. So gods do exist in this city who really care about their familia members rather than using them as tools. My evaluation of Ganesha considerably went up.

"Ganesha-sama, I think you have something else to say as well." A women who was standing some steps away from Ganesha, if I remember correctly is probably The Ganesha Famalia captain, spoke up.

As if suddenly remembering something he suddenly jolted up and looked straight at me. I couldn't see his eyes beyond the elephant mask but I swear he was staring daggers at me.

"I….." He stopped after a word.

_What dude? You are scaring me now! Did I do something wrong? I don't remember doing anything to you. _

"I AM GANESHA."

…..

…..

….

_Huh?_ I stood there mouth agape while the other members of his familia gave an exaggerated sigh as if they were expecting this.

_What the hell man?! You scared the shit out of me with that silence, just to say this…._ I was going to shout that out but controlled myself with every last bit of patience I had left.

The women from before came in front of myself with a troubled expression.

"I am sorry about that. By the way, I am Shakti Verma, captain of the Ganesha Familia. Nice to meet you." She said that while presenting her hand to me, probably for a handshake.

"Don't bother. I am Rimuru Tempest, captain of the Hestia Familia. Nice to meet you too." I replied, shaking her hand.

Now that the pleasantries were over, she suddenly got into business mode.

"I just heard from them that your familia member used a very mysterious potion to heal them…which even healed their lost limbs. Is that true?"

And there it was. Word got out as I predicted. I really had no reason to deny it so I answered her almost immediately.

"Yes, that is. It is made by one of my skills but it's pretty hard to make and successfully producing one can take weeks." I can't help but lie about the last part, if I wanted, I could just produce thousands of them here, in an instant, but as I didn't want them to mass produce them in this world so, I had to lie.

"Is that so? It's a pretty absurd skill if you ask me. You know, some familia's would kill to get someone who has a skill like that." She said in a serious tone.

"Ugh….."

To be honest, I was pretty freaked out about what she said. And I can tell by her expression that she wasn't lying. Well, it's not like I will stay quiet if they kill or even hurt someone close to me, I would give them the worst misery possible. I am a Demon Lord after all, I will not hesitate to show this city my demon lordish side if it comes to that.

"I mean, you don't need to worry about it. Nobody is foolish enough to take a fight with your familia now…except some."

"Except some?"

"Don't worry about it, it's nothing." She said dismissing the topic.

"Is that all?" I asked, but deep inside I knew it was not. I knew what was coming next. And as I thought it was not all.

"If it's not too much trouble, can I make a request?" She stated exactly what I expected her to say.

"What?" I asked, even though I knew what it was.

"Could I ask of you to sell those potions to our familia?" There it was, what I was expecting. It was no surprise. But I already came up with an idea to minimize their sales. If it works or not, let's experiment it here.

"As I said before, it is hard to make and also takes time so it would be too expensive."

The idea I have come up with is simply just raising it's price to an unreasonable amount. It is not the brightest of ideas but nonetheless an effective one. If asked someone, if they will buy a less proficient potion in less price or a more proficient one, which will put their familia in debt, without a doubt he will buy less proficient one which is less costly.

As I have calculated with Ciel's help, there could be some exceptional cases where a god or a goddess wouldn't mind going on debt if their member lost a limb and said limb couldn't be retrieved. I wouldn't mind helping in those cases as that would be just in few cases. In this way, other familia's businesses wouldn't be damaged.

"What's the price?" She asked.

"Five billion valis for each." I told her my unreasonable price bluntly, clearly meaning I wouldn't hold any bargains.

"Um….that's a pretty high price but I can understand your reasons for that. Well, anyway, its not like we are in urgent need, but….would you mind selling some, if one of our members got severely injured." She said after contemplating the price for some time.

"That would be no problem."

It worked. It really worked. If even such big familia, such as the Ganesha Familia is limiting themselves to just some, then smaller familia's would limit themselves to even lower.

It seemed their objective was over, so they decided to leave, but before leaving she left me with an unexpected warning.

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention, recently some strong monsters are roaming the upper floors. I would suggest you don't send your lower leveled adventurers there for a while."

"Strong monsters?"

"I don't really know what happened but….there are many complaints to the guild that even level 1 monsters are harder to kill and there are these rumors that the stone they leave behind is of better quality or something."

I could see Diablo flinch a little after hearing that sentence. Could it be the thing he wanted to talk about is regarding this or is it something else?

They left after that, but Ganesha didn't forget to do the 'I am Ganesha' pose before leaving.

God or not, I had a strong urge to punch this guy in the face, but for the sake of good relations, I held myself back.

* * *

I returned to my office after it to listen to the report Diablo has for me.

"So? What is it?" I asked after sitting comfortably on my chair.

"The thing is Rimuru-sama, the thing that woman from before talked about, about the monsters getting stronger, it is because-"

"RIMU-CHAN"

We were abruptly interrupted by loud and a very excited voice. The door forcefully burst open, from it came a very girl or a god, ignorant of the serious atmosphere in the room, she started walking toward me humming.

But her path was blocked by a hand. No need to mention, the girl was Hestia who I presume have just now come back from the guild and the hand which stopped her path was of ….Diablo.

"I am in the middle of a talk with Rimuru-sama, could you please go away and come back later." He said coldly staring at her.

"Vice captain! Remove your hand, I want to talk with Rimu-chan not you." She demanded but Diablo wasn't the one who would easily back down.

"I am in the middle of a very important topic with Rimuru-sama which your ever so tiny brain couldn't even comprehend. So please kindly leave."

"And I am here too, to discuss our very first official guild quest. You understand! GUILD QUEST!"

And here they go again. How many times has this happened? Ten….twenty….no! I couldn't even keep the count. These two people can't stand each other and bicker at every single topic they possibly can.

At one side is a serious, Diablo and on the other is the ever so ignorant and not so serious, Hestia. It always happens that their opinions clash and so do they.

I have personally given this occasion a name, 'The clash between The Demon and The Goddess!' but I have kept this thing a secret.

Jokes aside, I was more interested in what Hestia has to say. I had a feeling what Diablo has to say is probably some bad news, so better listen to the good news first.

"Calm down you two, Hestia, you can talk first."

Diablo looked a little disappointed and Hestia looked like she just achieved victory in a great war.

Then Hestia explained about all that had transpired in the Guild to me and Diablo. For some reason, on every word she said, Diablo's face turned paler and paler.

Hestia's explanation matches with what Shakti Verma, the captain of the Ganesha Familia has said. According to Hestia, there was an enormous burst of energy in the dungeon two days ago, which spread to the upper floors and is making the monsters stronger.

_Two days ago? Why do I think it is something I know?! _I can't help but think that.

"So our mission is to find the source of this sudden power up and to eradicate it." I asked wanting to confirm what I just heard.

"Exactly so." She said smiling.

"All right, we will do that." I can't leave the problem as it is so I accepted without any further argument.

"I knew you wouldn't say 'no', then you should prepare as soon as possible. That Ouranos said, it should be handled as quickly as possible."

"Is it okay, if we go tomorrow morning?"

"That would do."

Now that this topic was over, Diablo immediately chimed in,

"Now that your topic is over, can you please step out."

Diablo was getting quite impatient to tell whatever he wanted to tell me but Hestia again started to argue.

"Why should I? You could talk in front of me, you know. I am your goddess, so I should also know whatever you have to say."

"That….is…."

He couldn't argue back on this topic as it was true, but I think if Diablo is getting so desperate to tell me something, it must be really important, so I decided to give a helping hand.

"Hestia, could you please? It must be something that he could only tell me, so…."

"Rimu-chan, you too…..ugh…..Ahhh, all right! But only because you say so." She said that sticking her tongue out towards Diablo and left.

Now that we were alone, Diablo didn't waste time with explanation, rather, he took out a magic stone from his [Storage Space] and presented it in front of me.

"Rimuru-sama, this is the magic stone from a monster who people are saying has 'gotten stronger'."

_Huh? Was he getting impatient just to show me this? There were rumors that it _had a better quality. Now that I look at it carefully, it has some deep purple luster_ and….N-N-NO way! T-The energy in it i-is of…_

Seeing the expression on my face, Diablo asked,

"Did you see it, Rimuru-sama?"

I was in too much of a shock that I could just force a nod in his direction.

It all makes sense now, enormous burst of energy in the dungeon two days ago? I know who did that.

_The energy in this stone, or rather, the energy which is making the monsters stronger is of…._

"Veldora, what have you done!" I said that out….exhausted.

**And here we go again! Veldora did it again! How will it get solved? Who knows?...Maybe in the next chapter which I will try and that's a big trrrrrrrryyy to update soon.**

**Did you like it? Tell me in the reviews!**


	9. Chapter 8 5

**Side Chapter 8.5- Darkness lurking within Orario.**

**Hey there! It's been a long time hasn't it? Alright, I apologize! I know it took frekin 3 months but there were circumstances on my end so I couldn't help it. I hope you understand! Then, on with it.**

A women slept peacefully in a dimly lit room without moving so much of an inch, but she was alive as she was breathing at regular intervals.

It was Revis.

She was drenched in sweat all over her body, writhing once in a while as she was having a bad dream.

She stood in a place somewhere, fighting someone when suddenly she was engulfed in blackish violet light, it's pressure was unbearable, it was like her life was being sucked out…..but at the same time, filling her up with something new, something more powerful.

It was frightening but at the same time it was soothing, something within her told her to accept the new power and that she did.

She could fell her body and her heart, in her case which was her magic stone getting filled with foreign power and getting stronger. The new power was powerful and….it was addictive.

The power took over everything, spreading across her whole body, blocking everything what she was before including her memories and everything she ones was and the new being which was Revis but also not Revis was born.

A new monster was born.

"AAH" She shrieked and opened her eyes, she looked around the room breathing erratically and slowly tried to get up.

_Where am I? Who am I? What is this place….Ugh…I can't remember anything….aah and my head hurts so much, it's like it's going to burst._

She sat there clutching her head with her hands trying to remember who she was, when suddenly she felt it, a connection with something, a connection with the power within her. She didn't know why but she wanted to go near it and absorb more of it.

She got up to move towards the direction where she could fell the connection from, but before she could take a step forward she was stopped by a voice.

"Where are you going?" She turned towards the voice and found a man standing there, he had a peculiar mask on so she couldn't see his face.

"Who are you?" Revis asked, raising her guard against the unknown entity.

But rather than what she expected, she was replied with a mildly shocked but carefree voice.

"Oh! Don't tell me, you don't even remember me? I saved you remember? Well, it was originally not me, but my subordinate…um but you are my subordinate as well. Whatever, but you do understand right?"

Revis couldn't understand what the man in front of her was saying.

_Saved me? From who? What is he talking about? His subordinate? Me?_

"I don't know what you are talking about?" Revis said with an irritated tone.

"Hmm! That's interesting! Have you lost your memory. That make things complicated, All right! How about this? My name is Enyo and I am your master. Does that ring any bells?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't remember anybody by that name and what are you talking about being my master…. Ugh… I can't remember anything! What the hell is going on!"

Frustration of not being able to remember anything was building up within Revis, not being able to remember anything, she made up her own conclusions.

_Yes! That's it! This guy is just trying to not let me reach the 'source'. If I want to go there I just need to defeat him to get there.'_

Frustration of not being able to understand the man's remarks and anger that he was wasting her time and not letting her reach the 'source' led to this conclusion.

"Just get out of my way! I need to reach the 'source' and absorb more power! Why can't you understand that…if so then just DIE!"

She stretched out her hand which was getting wrapped in blackish violet power and released the condensed energy on Enyo.

Enyo who wasn't able to react in time got directly hit by the attack. Not being able to bear the pressure of the abnormal power, his whole body started corroding away and he was turned to dust in seconds.

Revis looked at her hand which just released the attack. She didn't know what type of power she just used but she felt it was natural for her to use it.

_Now I just need to reach the 'source' and the-_

Her thoughts were cut off as a dart like object pierced the back of her neck.

"….Aa….Ugh…"

Her limbs lost strength and she slumped on the ground but she didn't lose consciousness. She looked up to identify from where the object came from and found a man walking towards her. He also had a peculiar mask on which was different than Enyo.

"Oh my! Call me impressed. That was a poison which could even kill a level 4 monster instantly and you didn't even faint….well, you will in a few minutes anyway."

The man came to a stop few metres before Revis, turned around and went on one knee.

"She is harmless now Enyo-sama. You can come out."

As soon as the man said that, another person came out of the shadow. Revis couldn't help but open her eyes wide when she saw him…because it was the same person she had turned to dust.

"That was certainly scary when she attacked with that abnormal power." Enyo said truly impressed by the power Revis showed.

"….Ho….w..?" Revis tried to ask how he survived, but with the effects of the poison, even opening her mouth was proving difficult.

Nonetheless, Enyo picked up the faint voice.

" Do you want to know how I survived? The answer is simple. That man wasn't even me to begin with. Did you think I would be foolish enough to present myself to someone when we didn't even know if that person was harmless or not? Though I must give my condolences to that brave soul who sacrificed himself for me."

Those were the last words Revis heard before she fainted.

"Hmm. That was a close call, who knew she would lose her memories." Enyo said looking at Revis who laid motionless on the ground.

"Um..Enyo-sama s-should we dispose of her?" The man who was on one knee asked Enyo.

"Why would you even think of that Ein. She has the power which we couldn't even comprehend and didn't you see how she killed him, it will do us more good if she is alive rather than dead."

"But Enyo-sama, we don't know how to control her. She will just attack again when she wakes up!" The man or rather, Ein raised a fair point. It would be better to kill the enemy when it cannot resist rather than when it can.

"Why are you so persistent on killing her…. Don't tell me! Are you afraid that she will become more powerful than you with her newfound power."

"N-Never Enyo-sama! I was just concerned for your safety. I don't care how strong she gets as long as she obeys you and follows your cause." Ein was flustered with Enyo's assessment….maybe because it was a little bit true but nonetheless gave a good reply.

"Haha, is that so?!...um, but it would be great if we could gain more of this power."

"If so Enyo-sama, we could get it from the 21st floor, I think what Revis called 'source' is there, as that was the place where that man and she fought." Ein said that to Enyo but he firmly denied it.

"It isn't that I would not like that but we can't risk that. That old man in the Guild would have definitely noticed by now and he would have definitely started taking countermeasures…..If I know him well."

"Countermeasures?" Ein didn't understand what Enyo meant. Ein did understand which old man Enyo was talking about, that would be the God of the Guild Ouranos. But even he wouldn't have people who were capable enough to supress the rampant power on the 21st floor…. they do!

Understanding dawned on Ein as he came to the same conclusion as Enyo.

"Oh! Did you realise?! That old man isn't the only one who would have noticed….the initiators of the entire thing would also have noticed by now that they screwed up." Enyo stated his conclusion…..and it was true.

"But Enyo-sama, would Ouranos and….the Hestia Familia cooperate?" Ein asked.

"Of course! This would be the best chance for Hestia to hide her mistake and I don't think their captain would be foolish enough to let this chance slide."

There was that thing, that the goddess of the Hestia Familia, Hestia herself didn't know that her familia was responsible for the whole mess or the fact that Ouranos also didn't know who released the strange power in the dungeon…..but nobody was there to point it out to Enyo.

"Well, let's not get greedy for power shall we? We don't want to run into them again for the time being. We should focus on what we do have right now." Enyo looked at Revis as he said that.

"Yes Enyo-sama! Should we start by trying to get her memories back." Ein said noticing Enyo's gaze.

"Yes, that would be good. After all, the power she posses could become a great factor in achieving my dream."

* * *

After two days,

As Enyo predicted, Hestia Familia did accept Ouranos's request without knowing that a peculiar situation and an fateful encounter was awaiting for them.

**Okay! I know it was short but that's what side chapters are supposed to be...right? I just thought that I should write about what happened to Revis after she was 'rescued' and this chapter also gave a little bit of info about what those mutated monsters are and about what kind of power they use( you know whose power ).**

**Plzzzz leave reviews!**


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